Native American vote could swing key races

[seemslikeadream]

Katherine Hutt Scott
Gannett News Service
Oct. 29, 2004 12:22 PM

WASHINGTON - Candidates are courting American Indian voters in nine Western and Midwestern states where those voters could provide the margin of victory in the presidential contest and congressional races.

Democrats stand to gain the most from the recruitment effort because American Indians vote overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates.

...

The states with congressional races where American Indian voters could make a difference include:

- South Dakota, where Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle is depending on heavy turnout in the state's nine Indian reservations to help fend off a tough challenge from former Republican Rep. John Thune, who lost to Johnson in 2002. Registration at the state's largest reservation, Pine Ridge, where 80 percent of voters are Democrats, is up 7 percent since 2002.

...

Jacqueline Johnson predicted this election will see the highest-ever turnout for American Indian voters: "Indian Country has engaged in a way that it has never historically done so."

Indians have seen over the past four years that their vote can make a difference. They were crucial in deciding tight races that elected Sen. Johnson of South Dakota, Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Gov. Brad Henry of Oklahoma.

more
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1029Indian-Vote-ON.html

[Must_B_Free]

1. Well, isn't that rich...

How utterly approppriate for them to topple the Roswell Kings.

[Rjnerd]

2. Native americans

Much less likely to show up on polls. As a demographic, 20% of households are without a telephone (wired or wireless). (source NIH researcher, surveying childhood vaccination compliance)

[oneighty]

5. Boy

New York State Indian population is doing very well thank you. Why they even got white eyes working for them. Good pay and bennies too. Since the Republicans would like to SOMEHOW or other break treaties and tax them I suspect the Indian population most likely votes for Democrats.

We respect their treaties.

180

[knowbody0]

3. we're baaaaaaaaack

heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. They could be a factor in Minnesota, too

Our Republicanite governor just annoyed them by asking them to contribute $350 million of their casino money to the state coffers.

[oneighty]

6. Just like NY

When the Indians were poor nobody love them! Now everybody do do do!

Hee hee hee!

180

[submerged99]

7. My brother is woring for Daschle

My brother is working for Daschle on the reservation. They've really gotten a lot done and have even had 2 new people travel from here, Denver, to help them out within the past week. It's looking pretty good because they also are having their tribal elections on the same day and virtually everyone that will be voting is going to be voting for the Democrats.

[localroger]

8. I guess this is Plan B

They haven't quite won the country back at the casinos yet, so this may speed the process up a bit :-)

[mitchtv]

9. California is poised to elect its first Indian state assemblyperson

Mary Ann Andreas of the gambling Morongo tribe is fighting against extremely well funded Repuke Bonnie Garcia . unemployment in Imperial county is at 27% and could help her in this district which includes Palm Springs and eastern Riverside County to the AZ border and Imperial co.Mary Ann has enlisted the help of the locally strong Stonewall Dems to GOTV. Garcia is running a deceptive campaign saying Dems(read that as Latinos) support her. She is in actuality a venomous extremist who refuses to meet with her Gay constituents.This is all going on with Gov Groper's statement racially charged statement that the"Indians are ripping us off" regarding a proposition(70) that allows for expanded casinos on the reservations. Jeese Ventura in an ad paid for by the San Manuel band of Mission Indians, has come to their defense saying Herr Boobengrabber is ripping off the Indians.

[riverwalker]

10. Minnesota Native Americans won their case today

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041028/286118_1.html

Hearing Scheduled in Voting-Rights Suit Filed by Dorsey on Behalf of National Congress of American Indians and the Minnesota ACLU
Thursday October 28, 6:18 pm ET


MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 28, 2004--A hearing has been scheduled at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 29, before Judge James Rosenbaum in US District Court in Minneapolis to hear arguments filed earlier today against Minnesota's Secretary of State, Mary Kiffmeyer, arguing that the state's voter-registration policies discriminate against American Indian voters. Skip Durocher and Tim Branson, partners at Dorsey, will seek an injunction ordering Secretary Kiffmeyer to instruct all election officials and judges in Minnesota to accept tribal IDs on election day. Members of the public are welcome to attend the hearing. <more>

(Updated: The judge ruled in their favor this afternoon.)