| The Native Vote Campaign is an extensive national non-partisan
effort to mobilize the American Indian and Alaska Native vote in
collaboration with regional organizations, local tribal governments,
centers serving the Indian populations of urban centers, and non-governmental
organizations whose focus is on democracy initiatives.
In 2004, the National Congress of American Indians spearheaded
this groundbreaking campaign to register and turn out a record
number of American Indian and Alaska Native voters this election
year. The culmination of the Native Vote 2004 efforts on November
2nd was a resounding moment for tribal governments nationwide,
as it empowered Native voters and raised the profile of Native
issues in the eyes of politicians. It was a truly a historic moment
for all of Indian Country. Native voters proved that we can make
our voices heard with the power of the vote.
Native Vote is a permanent project intended to advance the Native
agenda at all levels of decision-making and promote Native candidates
to public offices. Our next step is to protect the incredible
strides that we have made and be proactive in our approach to
Native Vote. We must ensure that Natives’ right to vote is
never threatened again, as it has been in the past. We need consultation
with Secretaries of States and Election Boards to maximize accessibility
to the polls. We should be heartened by court victories that guaranteed
the right to use tribal I.D. to vote. These are huge victories
for Native voters. We must not wait until election time to be
concerned with elections.
The rising political clout of Native voters will only grow going
forward, as the unified voice of American Indian/Alaska Natives
becomes a force for political candidates to address Native concerns
by developing platform statements and having campaign promises
to Native voters. The power of the vote will put Native issues
before elected leaders like never before in history.
We have just completed planning for the Native Vote 2006 Campaign
so stay tuned for upcoming events and exciting news.
"Important Announcement"
Breakout Session at the NCAI Mid-Year Conference on June 13th
from 1:30p-4:00p to highlight current and former Native public
office holders, candidates, and poltical consultants. Click here
for details.
Native Vote: How to Be a Candidate for Public Office
Whether you are an individual who has considered running for
public office, a tribal leader who is interested in learning how
to recruit candidates to run, a political organizer who wants
to see more Indian candidates run and win, or just simply interested
in getting more involved in the election process, this breakout
session is for you. The participants on this panel will discuss
various topics pertaining to running for public office such as
the importance of more Indians holding elected positions, considerations
for making the decision to run for public office, resources available
to Indian candidates, and how to organize a successful campaign.
In the 2004 Election, Indian Country saw how we can have a huge
impact on elections at the local and state level. The 2006 and
2008 elections will be Indian Country's chance to elect more Indians
to public positions.
Panelists:
John McCoy, Member of the Washington State House of Representatives
and member of the Tulalip Tribe
Dawn Charging, Member of North Dakota House of Representnatives
and Member of Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, (invited)
Jack Jackson, Jr. Former Member of the Arizona State House of
Representatives and member of the Navajo Nation
Sharon Clahchischilliage, Executive Director, Navajo Nation Washington
Office and former candidate for New Mexico Secretary of
Kalyn Free, Former Congressional Candidate, Member of the Choctaw
tribe, and President of INDNS List
Peggy Flanigan, Member of the Minneapolis School Board and a
member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe
Eli Lee, Soltari Political Consulting, Albuquerque, New Mexico
State
|
