Pyramid Lake on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation in Nevada. Photo by Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Leaders and veterans from two Nevada tribes filed a lawsuit against the state in hopes of securing equal access to the polls. Chairman Bobby Sanchez of the Walker River Paiute Tribe and Chairman Vinton Hawley of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe are joined by three veterans as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. It seeks the establishment of satellite polling locations in their respective reservations. "If we have the same access and opportunities, we will be able to increase participation by tribal members," Hawley told The Associated Press. According to the lawsuit, Pyramid Lake residents must travel 96 miles round-trip from tribal headquarters to register to vote in Washoe County. If they want to actually cast their ballot at an early-voting site, they have to drive the same 96 miles all over again. Walker River residents must make a 70-mile round-trip in Mineral County to register and participate in early voting, according to the complaint in Sanchez v. Cegaveske, a copy of which was posted by KTNV. Similar lawsuits in other states, including Montana, have led to polling locations on reservations. Read More on the Story:
Nevada tribes: Unequal polling access violates voting rights (AP 9/6)
Nevada tribal leaders file lawsuit claiming voting rights violations (KRNV 9/6)
Tribes sue Nevada secretary of state, allege unequal access to voting (KTNV 9/7)
Nevada tribes charge Washoe, Mineral officials with voting rights violations (KOLO 9/7)
Native American tribes to sue Nevada over voter disenfranchisement (The Reno Gazette-Journal 9/8)
Nevada native American tribes fight 'unequal' voting laws (The Christian Science Monitor 9/8)
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