[wvns] American Indians to Sway 2008 Election
American Indians Could Influence 2008 Presidential Vote:
University of Utah
Tue 22-May-2007
Newswise — American Indian voters are poised to begin playing a much
bigger role in election politics, if past trends are any indication.
That's just one of the conclusions in a new book titled "Native Vote,"
co-authored by Daniel McCool, Susan Olson and Jennifer Robinson of the
University of Utah.
American Indians were not even considered citizens until they were
granted citizenship in 1924. The right to vote came later in most
Western states, and as late as the 1950s the state of Utah was trying
to prevent Indian people from voting. Today, the situation has changed
dramatically. Beginning in the late 1970s, Indians began to take
advantage of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and bring
litigation to challenge voting discrimination in local and state
elections. Many of these suits succeeded through either settlements or
trials in reducing barriers to electoral participation. Then, in the
1990s, several Indian organizations made a systematic effort to
register American Indians and get them to the polls in ever-increasing
numbers.
As a result, the "native vote" has become pivotal in some Western
states. According to the book, "In 2000, Indian voters helped
[Democrat] Maria Cantwell defeat [Republican U.S.] Sen. Slade Gorton
[in Washington state], and helped Al Gore carry New Mexico." Two years
later, Indian voters again displayed their potential power. In South
Dakota, they provided the winning margin for Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim
Johnson in his very close re-election bid, and they were credited with
helping to elect Democratic Gov. Brad Henry in Oklahoma. Janet
Napolitano, the governor of Arizona acknowledged at the 2004
Democratic National Convention that "Without the Native Americans, I
wouldn't be standing here today."
According to an article in the New York Times on September 24, 2004,
"In the last few years, political races from Congress to county
sheriff have begun to hinge on the Indian vote ... ." Indian tribes
also have become big players in campaign contributions, lobbying and
running candidates for office. Co-author McCool says that with the
growing influence of the Western states in presidential primaries, the
Indian vote will become even more important. "I think it's safe to say
that there are specific scenarios where the presidential race could
hinge on the vote in some Western states, much like it did on Florida
in 2000 or Pennsylvania in 2004. Indian voters have already proven
that they can swing statewide elections in Washington, Arizona, New
Mexico and South Dakota. If any of these states becomes pivotal in a
tight presidential race, the Indian vote could make the difference,"
says McCool.
"Native Vote" is the first book-length analysis of the newfound
political power of American Indian people. It describes the long
struggle of American Indians to get the right to vote, and explains
how they are wielding this power to influence elections, and benefit
tribes. The book offers an analysis of the 70-plus court cases in
Indian Country that were based on the Voting Rights Act; several such
cases are still in the courts. "Native Vote" is the only comprehensive
study of these cases. The Voting Rights Act was reauthorized by
Congress in September 2006, so there is a strong likelihood that many
more cases will be filed in the future. There was a time when American
Indians were not considered players on the political stage. That
perception has changed dramatically in recent years, and all
indications are that Native peoples are now a potent force in Western
politics. "Native Vote" explains how this change came about, and how
it is affecting contemporary elections.
The book "Native Vote" is published by the Cambridge University Press.
For more information please visit:
http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521548717
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