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For the past century, since the passage of the Snyder Act, also known as the Indian Citizenship Act, Native Americans have faced both overt oppression and insidious abuse by the United States government. This law, which supposedly "granted" Native Americans citizenship, continues to evoke complex and deeply felt reactions within our community. U.S. citizenship was forced on our relatives, yet failed to give many of us the right to vote. Despite a long and ongoing history of Native American voter suppression at the ballot box, our community continues to fight for our voices to be heard and made headlines in the last presidential election. As November approaches, it is long overdue for political campaigns to recognize the voting power of Native American and Indigenous Communities and our ability to shape the political landscape.
In my experiences as a political strategist and fundraiser for almost two decades, I have witnessed firsthand the growing influence of Native American voters and candidates at all levels of government. When I co-founded Advance Native Political Leadership (Advance) in 2016, I knew the barriers to Native American engagement in the U.S. political system would seem daunting to break down. As the executive director of the first and only national organization working to increase Native American representation in elected positions across the country, I have seen the growth of our political power.
There were 161 Native candidates running for office at all levels of government in 2022, according to the 2022 General Election Report from Advance's Native Leadership Institute. At the time of writing this, Advance and our partner ICT (formerly Indian Country Today) have identified 183 Native candidates running for office in 24 U.S. states—and the number continues to grow. Our electoral power is also significant. In the 2020 presidential election, President Joe Biden's margin of victory was narrower than the percentage of the voting age population who identified as Indigenous and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander in several states including New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii.
While we can exhibit our power through voting, political leaders cannot expect our community to deliver the results they want while they continue to ignore our needs. At the first presidential debate, neither candidate for president mentioned the Indigenous Community or offered a response to the issues we face. For starters, representation matters.
Based on research conducted by Advance, GrowProgress, and Elise Blasingame (Osage/??????), a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia School of Public & International Affairs and our first scholar-in-residence, we know that a large majority of Native Americans want to relate to their elected officials. But this is rarely achieved, considering realities like the first ever Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary—Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) of the Department of the Interior—was just nominated to that position in 2021. Working with Lake Research Partners, Advance has learned about the issues that matter to Native American and Indigenous Peoples because we have asked them directly. Expanding access to mental health services, spending more to address violence against Native Americans in the U.S., compensation for federal policies of land dispossession, boarding schools, relocation, and economic deprivation are some of the important issues to a majority of Native American voters.
Addressing these challenges requires the active engagement and commitment of all political actors, not just Native American voters. This is why Advance Native Political Leadership's upcoming Native Power Building Summit in July is so crucial. I am excited for the first in-person summit since the start of the COVID pandemic, where we will connect with Native leaders, organizers, and activists to build electoral power and discuss the issues that matter most to Indigenous Communities. We invite Native American leaders, elected officials, organizers, voters, community members, and dedicated allies to attend our summit so that we can understand these issues and make informed decisions to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities at the ballot box.
The voices, contributions, and knowledge of Native Americans in the United States can no longer be ignored. As we navigate the upcoming election cycle, we must work together to empower Indigenous Communities, amplify our voices, and create a political landscape that reflects the rich diversity of our nation. Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples will not be othered by the media or ignored by political leaders any longer. Our vote has the power to significantly impact elections. It's time now for these candidates to earn it.
Anathea Chino (Acoma Pueblo) is executive director and co-founder of Advance Native Political Leadership.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
