American Indian reservations see record voter turnout

[sabra]

Source: bemidji pioneer

Stepped-up voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts on area American Indian reservations saw record voter turnout on Election Day.

“This year we did exceptionally well because of the fact we had,, for the first time, funds to do the work,” Sally Fineday, executive director of Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota, said last week.

Staff was available to help with voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote efforts — much of it supported by the tribes, she said.

NAVM “board members did all the work previously; we never had any money to pay organizers,” Fineday said Thursday. “That was something that made this year’s (effort) quite a success, that there were funds available to actually hire native American organizers on the reservation — Mille Lacs, Red Lake, Fond du Lac, Leech Lake and White Earth,”

A non-profit, non-partisan group, Fineday said NAVM received not only tribal support but also funds from Take Action Minnesota, Minnesota Civic Engagement Table, Minnesota Council of Non-Profits and the National Congress of American Indians.

Read more: http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/articles/index.cfm?id=19574§ion=News

[WriteDown]

1. Whoooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome.

[investintrains]

6. this was espite the intimidation of Senator Thune's thugs and others'

this was espite the intimidation of Senator Thune's thugs and other
Republican intimidation through the years

Sarah Palin has excluded Native Americans from Alaska
boards to which they have traditionally been appointed

[liberalhistorian]

2. Hubby and I live on a SD reservation,

and I can certainly attest to the truth of this!! There was a lot of excitement about Obama among the SD native american population and it was great to see and experience.

[TygrBright]

3. Turnout among the Southwest nations was amazing also.

There were a lot of "Indian Country is Obama Country" signs everywhere-- many hand-made.

I think the promise to bring Indian Affairs to the cabinet level convinced a lot of very jaded and cynical First American leaders that THIS time it just MIGHT happen.

And I don't think Obama will let the First Americans down.

hopefully,
Bright

[WriteDown]

4. I hope not...

Hillary Clinton was a big supporter of my tribes planned resort that Bush's Dept of Interior opposed. I hope Obama follows her lead and helps my tribe move out of abject poverty.

[Ecumenist]

5. If this is true, then HOW THE HELL IS OKLAHOMA RED???

COMPLETELY RED???!!! I am mixed descent black woman with cousins who are PURE BLOOD native. They used to stay at my grandmother's home in Tulsa when they would come to Fancy dances. I CANNOT AND WILL NOT BELIEVE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE GOOD PEOPLE IN BOOMER SOONER COUNTRY VOTED FOR THE republican party. Something happened there, it had to have. There wasn't even a tinge of blue; hell, not even fuschia!!

Someone played fast and loose with vote there, I believe.

[qwlauren35]

7. I'm not sure an effort was made to Swing Oklahoma.

If there is a Cabinet level Indian Affairs department, you might see more aggressive efforts at voter drives. But are you sure that your people would be Democrats?

I certainly wasn't very proud of the number of us (African-Americans) who voted for Bush in 2004 because of the "protect marriage" and "protect the Unborn" scare tactics that the Republicans blanketed our churches with.

Sometimes I sense that the Democratic party has gotten too lazy to court our vote, and then is shocked when we "defect".

[Ecumenist]

10. ABSO-BLOODY-LUTELY!!

They have DESPISED the republicans and the craptastic administration of the last 8 years.

[CBGLuthier]

8. Because Oklahoma does not have reservations

It is a different system here. There are Indian lands and benefits for those on the rolls but there are no reservations in Oklahoma.

[Ecumenist]

9. From what my Grandmother told me, not having reservations

was because Oklahoma WAS a place of refuge for Natives. She would talk about it being Oklahoma, I.T., (Indian Territory).

[Chovexani]

11. Amen

I am same as you, with full blood cousins on the rez out in that part of the country (not OK, but lots of kinfolk on rolls in the state, it's a diff system as was said). Sadly I think it is a case of the rednecks outnumbering the redfolk...there is a shit ton of ignorance in that state despite efforts to the contrary, and a lot of good Dems out there.

That's not to say votes were not messed with, these are Repukes and that is a given.