Nevada tribes taking advantage of improved voting access

[pecosbob]

https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/31/nevada-tribes-taking-advantage-of-improved-voting-access/

In 2021, the Nevada Legislature passed a bill allowing tribes to request a polling site or ballot drop box on their reservation that would automatically return each election cycle. Prior to 2019, tribal governments in Nevada did not have the option to request a polling place. The regulated process also makes it more difficult for election officials to deny tribes requests for voter services.

The legislation to safeguard tribal voting in Nevada came after a successful lawsuit by citizens of the Pyramid Lake Paiute and Walker River Paiute tribes in 2016 against Nevada and two counties for routinely denying the tribes early voting polling locations.The location of polling places matters, say tribal leaders. After the litigation by the Walker River Paiute Tribe spurred polling sites on their reservation, Mineral County recorded its highest voter turnout at 80.74% in 2020.

Emergency pandemic voting accommodations in 2020, like universal mail in ballots and extensive drop boxes, were made available to Nevada tribes and further expanded voting access.

Native voters in Nevada had the highest turnout of all demographic groups in 2020 and turnout was up 25% from 2016, according to Megan Gall, a consultant specializing in voting rights.

“That is the largest increase of any sub-population in the state of Nevada,” said Stacey Montooth, executive director of the Nevada Indian Commission and citizen of the Walker River Paiute Tribe “I think it is likely due to voter choice or the ability for our people to vote by whatever method they wanted: in person, early, by mail, or via drop boxes. This momentum will carry us into the next election.”