For presidential and midterm elections, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) builds a network of election protection volunteers to serve as field observers or “poll watchers” on Election Day at locations in and around Indian country. NARF organizes interested law students, law faculty, and pro bono attorneys for this important work.
In 1924, with passage of the Indian Citizenship Act, Congress declared that Native Americans are citizens of the United States. Yet, more than 100 years later, many Native Americans still face unique challenges that deny them the most fundamental right of citizenship – the right to vote. To help address some of the obstacles faced by Native voters on Election Day, the Native American Rights Fund offers its Election Protection Program.
The backbone of NARF’s Election Protection Program are volunteer attorneys, law students, and faculty members from Indian law, pro-bono, and election law clinics and programs across the country. On Election Day, these poll watchers provide critical support to ensure that Native voters are not denied equitable opportunities to vote.
Specifically, our poll watchers are there to witness elections, document issues as they arise (i.e., evidence-gather for potential litigation and other legal and policy advocacy), and assist voters with resolvable issues on the ground. Some examples of issues that may occur include Native voters being turned away from polling locations by poll workers, Native voters being subjected to harassment, intimidation, or misinformation, or a polling location that is unexpectedly closed or not staffed by county officials at all. The need for election protection volunteers in Indian Country is great, and the impact of our poll watchers on Election Day cannot be overstated.
Most recently, we are recruiting, training, and dispatching volunteer poll watchers to polling sites in these target states: Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nevada, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Maine, Wisconsin, and San Juan County, Utah. NARF fully covers any air travel, food, lodging, rental car, and other similar expenses for volunteers.
Volunteers receive training to understand voters’ legal rights and help Native voters navigate the voting system on Election Day. These trainings cover topics such as:
- Barriers to political participation faced by Native voters, including a discussion of relevant history and the particular issues faced by Native voters in the target states and areas;
- Key skills for poll watchers, de-escalation, and electoral safety;
- State-specific laws, voting procedures, and likely issues on the ground on Election Day.
“It has been an honor to volunteer as a poll monitor with NARF in Montana and Nevada over the past two elections. I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to work alongside local organizers from Western Native Voice while monitoring early voting on Crow and Northern Cheyenne Tribal lands,” said Zeinab Bakhiet, a 2024 volunteer. “NARF’s efforts to safeguard the Native vote are a crucial part of the ongoing struggle for voting rights.”
Want to learn more about the Election Protection Program? Email vote@narf.org.