Mark Wandering Medicine, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana, was the lead plaintiff in the Wandering Medicine voting rights lawsuit. Photo from National Commission on Voting Rights

Four counties in Montana have agreed to establish satellite voting offices on reservations this year and more counties are in discussions with tribes.

Roosevelt County, Glacier County, Rosebud County and Big Horn County confirmed they will provide services for the primary and general elections, Secretary of State Linda McCulloch announced on February 1. She also said Choteau, Pondera, Blaine, Lake, Hill and Valley counties might be doing the same.

Pondera County has offered to provide some services to voters on the Blackfeet Nation but has not agreed to a satellite office, according to news reports. Tribal leaders say they remain at a significant disadvantage compared to off-reservation residents: the drive from Heart Butte to the county seat is a two-hour round trip.

A settlement in Wandering Medicine v. McCulloch required some counties to establish satellite offices on some reservations. Last October, McCulloch issued a directive that called on all counties to work with all tribes.

Native Americans represent 6.6 percent of the state population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Get the Story:
Blackfeet Tribe Calls For Better Voting Access In Pondera County (Montana Public Radio 2/25)
Blackfeet say voting proposal unacceptable (The Great Falls Tribune 2/24)
Report details challenges facing Indian voters (The Great Falls Tribune 2/12)

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