WEBVTT SOLEDAD: NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST VOTER TURNOUT OF ANY RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP. YET, THEIR VOTES HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING IN SEVERAL RECENT ELECTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN NORTH DAKOTA, IT WAS THE NATIVE AMERICAN VOTE THAT GAVE DEMOCRAT HEIDI HEITKAMP A VERY NARROW WIN IN THE 2012 SENATE RACE. AND REPUBLICAN LISA MURKOWSKI OF ALASKA CREDITS THE NATIVE AMERICAN VOTE FOR HER 2010 VICTORY. IT’S ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 4.5 MILLION ELIGIBLE NATIVE AMERICAN VOTERS. ONLY 34% HAVE REGISTERED. THE LOW TURNOUT IS BLAMED ON A COMBINATION OF LEGAL, STRUCTURAL, AND CULTURAL BARRIERS. INCLUDING A NEW VOTER I.D. LAW IN NORTH DAKOTA. JACQUELINE DE LEON IS A LAWYER WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND. SHE’S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ISLETA PUEBLO TRIBE. LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PLACES TO VOTE. THE ONES THAT EXIST ARE VERY FAR. AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS VOTER ID ISSUE. EXPLAIN THAT ISSUE FOR US. JACQUELINE: SURE. SO I THINK UNREASONABLE DISTANCES ARE PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE YOU KNOW NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS. IT’S TYPICAL WE’RE HEARING UPWARDS OF 40 MILES TO GET TO A POINT LOCATION ON A DIRT ROAD THAT MAY IF IT IS RAINING THAT DAY, MAKE IT PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO A LOCATION. WE’VE SEEN AS FAR AS 150 MILES ROUND TRIP. SOLEDAD: WHICH IS INSANE. JACQUELINE: IN NORTH DAKOTA SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE SAW THERE WAS A VOTER ID LAW THAT REQUIRED A CURRENT RESIDENTIAL STREET ADDRESS TO BE ON THE ID. IT IS NOT SIMPLY THE ACQUISITION OF THE ID, WHICH IN A LOT OF INSTANCES IS UNREASONABLY DIFFICULT, BUT THIS CURRENT RESIDENTIAL STREET ADDRESS REQUIREMENT THAT IS DISTURBING, BECAUSE NATIVE AMERICANS OFTEN LACK STREET ADDRESSES ON THEIR HOMES. THEY LIVE IN RURAL AREAS. MORE OFTEN, PEOPLE ARE USING PEEL BOXES. -- P.O. BOXES. SOLEDAD: HOW DEVASTATING IS WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED TO NATIVE AMERICANS WHO WANT TO VOTE? JACQUELINE: I THINK THE CONTINUANCE OF THE 8TH CIRCUIT’S ORDER IS GOING TO HAVE A TERRIBLE IMPACT. AND WE’RE GOING TO TRY TO MITIGATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BUT A TERRIBLE IMPACT ON VOTER TURNOUT. BUT I THINK IT ALSO SENDS A MESSAGE TO NATIVE AMERICANS THAT THE REALITIES THAT YOU FACE AREN’T IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. SOLEDAD: THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES AS WELL. I MEAN PEOPLE HAVE LONG TALKED ABOUT THAT NATIVE AMERICANS DON’T REALLY TRUST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR ALL KINDS OF REASONABLE REASONS, WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL. HOW MUCH OF A ROLE DO YOU THINK THAT PLAYS? JACQUELINE: WE CONDUCTED A STUDY OVER A SERIES OF STATE AND ONE NOTABLE OUTCOME IN SOUTH DAKOTA WAS 95% OF PARTICIPANTS SAID THAT THEY DON’T TRUST THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS. AND THAT’S LIKE YOU SAID ROOTED IN LONG-STANDING REASONS. IN SOUTH DAKOTA FOR EXAMPLE RECENTLY THE CROW CREEK RESERVATION REQUESTED A POLLING LOCATION FOR ITS 2200 PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. THE COUNTY DENIED THAT REQUEST AND INSTEAD GAVE THE POLLING LOCATION TO A TOWN OF ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE. AND SO WHAT WE SEE IS MESSAGING THAT CONTINUES TODAY THAT YOU’RE NOT WANTED AND THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCOMMODATE YOU. SOLEDAD: DO YOU THINK THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT IS VERY INTENTIONAL? THIS IS NOT ACCIDENTAL, WE NEED A MAILING ADDRESS, IT JUST SO HAPPENS YOU DON’T HAVE 1 -- DO YOU THINK THE GOAL IS TO SAY, IF WE CAN KEEP NATIVE AMERICANS FROM VOTING, THAT IS A NET PLUS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN POWER? JACQUELINE: I THINK IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE REGION AND WHAT’S GOING ON. OFTEN IT IS NEGLECT. IT’S JUST THIS IDEA THAT WE HAVEN’T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS CONSTITUENCY. THIS POLLING LOCATION HAPPENS TO BE REALLY FAR FROM YOU, BUT IT IS NOT INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION. IN OTHER CITIES, THE COUNTIES ARE IN CHARGE OF RUNNING ELECTIONS. THERE ARE DEEP-ROOTED HISTORICAL AND CURRENT UNDERTONES OF RACISM THAT PERSIST. WE DO