After the historic voter turnout in the 2020 general election, when an energized electorate overcame the challenges of voting in a pandemic to turn out in record numbers to exercise their right to vote, the backlash to silence our democracy was swift and predictable. Lawmakers in 43 states have introduced more than 250 bills that would make it more difficult to vote, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, up from about 100 in 28 states two months ago.

As many of us bear witness to a vicious legislative attack on our voting rights playing out in state legislatures, the NUIFC unequivocally condemns efforts to suppress the voice of the American people. As a leading advocate for urban Indian families and an organization steeped in civic and voter engagement work nationally, our work is predicated on the message that voting is a foundational right and when those rights are put in jeopardy, it is our responsibility to respond to that threat.

An examination of the proposed pieces of legislation reveals a direct adverse impact on Native voters, including our relatives in the city, a people who already face systemic barriers to civic engagement. One of the most alarming examples comes in Arizona, a state with a large Native American voting bloc, the swing vote in close elections. One bill, AZ SB 1593 proposes to drastically reduce the early voting window by starting it five days later and requiring ballots to be returned much sooner than election day. Another bill, AZ SB 1503 would add additional requirements around casting a mail-in ballot, despite a vast majority of Arizonans using this option for decades with no issue.  

In the coming weeks, the NUIFC will be analyzing these proposed bills and sharing them with our member organizations and partners to craft individual localized responses. The NUIFC and our civic engagement partners are looking at all potential options to help combat these blatant attempts to suppress the vote.