Law | Politics

Senate Democrats sponsor bill to safeguard Native voting rights





Five Democrats in the Senate introduced a bill to protect the voting rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

S.2399, the Native Voting Rights Act, prevents the closure of polling locations if it reduces the ability to vote, requires states with voter ID laws to accept tribal IDs and ensure that ballots are translated into Native languages.

"The right to vote is a sacred right that shouldn't be infringed upon because of where we live," Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), the chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, said in a press release. "All law-abiding Americans earned the right to vote, and this bill makes sure Native Americans can fully participate in our democracy and have a say in electing our leaders."

The text of the bill is not yet available online but a copy can found in Tester's press release.

Get the Story:
Tester, Walsh back Indian voting rights bill (The Missoulian 5/23)

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