Thread by @AmyRuckes, Thread on #NativeAmerican voter participation, especially pertaining to #Arizona, which demonstrates that [...]

Thread on #NativeAmerican voter participation, especially pertaining to #Arizona, which demonstrates that we need more attention focused on how valuable Native Americans are in the electoral process.

#Elecciones2020

#Elections

#ElectoralCollege https://twitter.com/AmyRuckes/status/1324010133714849804

https://twitter.com/AmyRuckes/status/1324010133714849804

Nate Cohn predicted in 2019 that “in the end,
these (‘tippingpoint’) states, particularly Arizona, could prove to be a better opportunity for Democrats
than #Wisconsin.”

#Election2020

#Elections2020

#ElectionDay

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/upshot/trump-electoral-college-edge-.html

Trump’s Electoral College Edge Could Grow in 2020, Rewarding Polarizing Campaign (Published 2019)

Re-election looks plausible even with a bigger loss in the national popular vote.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/upshot/trump-electoral-college-edge-.html

Previous research shows that Native American voters have politically and electorally identified as
nonpartisan, while their voting behavior indicates Democratic inclinations.

Koch, J. W. (2017). Partisanship and Non-Partisanship Among American Indians. American Politics
Research

This is especially true for those who grew up on Reservations.

Herrick, R. (2020). Growing up on a reservation and American Indians’ political attitudes. The Social Science
Journal

[Min 2012a, 2012b, 2014] describes how Native American
voting trends may favor Democratic candidates when it corresponds with lower income levels. [Min 2014]: “Economic factors appear to have had a greater impact than Tribal affiliation on American Indian political behavior.”

Alaska, North Dakota, and Oklahoma also have significant Native American populations; however, they tend to vote Republican due to the energy politics of the regions . https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/08/17/native-american-vote-2020-increase-influence-turnout-oj-semans-swing-statesvoting-rights-trump-iowa/1857159001/

2020 Democrats are stepping up their courtship of Native American voters. Here’s why.

“Native American voters need to be convinced about whether either party is going to truly serve their interests,” said professor Laura Evans.

https://eu.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/08/17/native-american-vote-2020-increase-influence-turnout-oj-semans-swing-statesvoting-rights-trump-iowa/1857159001/

"While the Native population in the US is relatively small at about 1.5% of the general population, in many states and districts, Native voters make up a sizable portion of eligible voters. The Native vote could influence the outcome of many elections."

http://www.nativevote.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Native-Vote-2018-Analysis-WEB-VERSION-FINAL.pdf

A Fast Facts brochure distributed by the @NCAI1944 confirms that the Native voting demographic in key states such as #Arizona (5% of the population) and New Mexico (10%) will be critically influential in future national elections.
http://www.ncai.org/initiatives/campaigns/NCAI_NativeVoteInfographic.pdf

However, this analysis of Native Americans voters does not mean that they are a monolith as minority voters.

"The Pew study [Parker 2015] further defines the multiracial populations by voting tendencies with biracial White/Native American individuals tending to vote Republican while other multiracial groups tended to vote Democratic. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/White-Native-American-LargestMultiracial-Mixed-Race-Pew-306920351.html

White-Native Americans Are Largest Multiracial Group in U.S., Pew Study Finds

Non-Hispanic whites with American Indian ancestry make up a full half of the current population of mixed-race Americans but are among the least likely to say that they are multiracial, according to a...

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/national-international/White-Native-American-LargestMultiracial-Mixed-Race-Pew-306920351.html

“In their ideological preferences, White and American Indian biracial adults are the only group where political conservatives outnumber liberals (37% to 18%), virtually
identical to the ideological preferences of single race whites” https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/06/11/multiracial-in-america/

Multiracial in America: Proud, Diverse and Growing in Numbers

Multiracial Americans are at the cutting edge of social and demographic change in the U.S.

https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/06/11/multiracial-in-america/

Considering the age demographics, growth rate, and location of Native American and multiracial Native Americans, these factors seem to imply that they may be one of the most important demographic groups for politicians to consider.

Prior to the 2016 election, political speculation regarding Arizona anticipated that Democrats would secure the Arizona electoral delegates for only the third time in history.

It was speculated that low voter turnout among Native voters in Arizona would be the reason why
candidate Trump would lose Arizona and Hillary Clinton would win. This was due to Trump’s persistent use of the term “Pocahontas” in reference to Sen.
Warren. https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/native-americans-may-punish-trump-for-slur-1.5457892

After 'Pocahontas' slurs, Trump may tip Native American voters toward Clinton

***

https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/native-americans-may-punish-trump-for-slur-1.5457892

“After Clinton received the blessing of community leaders
recently, her campaign staff believes the Native American vote will tip the scales in her favor.” https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/native-americans-may-punish-trump-for-slur-1.5457892

After 'Pocahontas' slurs, Trump may tip Native American voters toward Clinton

***

https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/native-americans-may-punish-trump-for-slur-1.5457892

The reporter further elaborates about the efforts of 2016 Democratic primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders: “As
part of the Democratic effort to get the Native American vote, Sen. Bernie Sanders was sent to Arizona
last month, where he met with Native American leaders."

"In contrast to Clinton, during the Democratic
primaries Sanders devoted considerable time to campaigning among this constituency, even visiting
their homes in the western United States”

The article further highlights the fact that
Sen. Sanders has been particularly supportive of Native American activism against the Dakota Access
pipeline, which the #StandingRock protests were focused on.

Low voter turnout among Native American voters garners less attention in comparison to other minority
voting populations.

https://www.narf.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017NAVRCsurvey-summary.pdf

Native Americans experience “pervasive invisibility,” and there exists a “prevailing ignorance” in American society towards the Native American population. ‘’invisibility is the modern form of racism against Native people" @rebeccanagle https://www.teenvogue.com/story/racism-against-native-americans

Invisibility is the Modern Form of Racism Against Native Americans

"I’ve never seen Native people in media at all."

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/racism-against-native-americans

Native American voter participation has historically faced a multitude of barriers, such as: “state constitutional prohibitions, residency requirements, requirements
to abandon tribal culture, taxation, guardianship, and literacy test”
@NDNrights https://www.narf.org/obstacles-at-every-turn/

Voting Rights Report Now Available: Obstacles at Every Turn - Native American Rights Fund

In 2017 and 2018, the Native American Voting Rights Coalition—founded by the Native American Rights Fund—held nine public hearings to better understand how Native Americans are systemically and...

https://www.narf.org/obstacles-at-every-turn/

Another consideration concerning 2020 elections is the expansion of mail-in voting during the COVID-19
pandemic. This means that we must also consider the available voting method for Native Americans.

Arizona has the second highest percentage of voting using alternative methods among states that use mail-in voting in addition to in-person, election-day voting. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/04/behind-2018-united-states-midterm-election-turnout.html

Behind the 2018 U.S. Midterm Election Turnout

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/04/behind-2018-united-states-midterm-election-turnout.html

However, a survey performed by the Native American Voting Rights Coalition demonstrated that Native American distrust of local governments meant that they were less likely to utilize the alternative methods to voting, preferring in-person voting.

https://www.narf.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2017NAVRCsurvey-summary.pdf

States with higher percentages of early voting indirectly benefit Republican candidates due to the fact that national campaigns reduce their mobilization efforts in these states and marginalized voters, who might make a last-minute decision to vote, are ignored. [Burden 2017]

Native voters are instrumental in possible swing states in 2020. Thus, more attention needs to focus on fairly representing them within media dialogues.

Simply: Do NOT relegate Native voters as "Someone Else" when media personalities and pollsters discuss #Election2020

polls.

https://twitter.com/joeytainment/status/1324025998354964480?s=21 https://twitter.com/joeytainment/status/1324025998354964480

https://twitter.com/joeytainment/status/1324025998354964480?s=21

https://twitter.com/adriannecomedy/status/1324031455429763077?s=21 https://twitter.com/AdrianneComedy/status/1324031455429763077

https://twitter.com/adriannecomedy/status/1324031455429763077?s=21

I’m just going to add to this thread the tweets discussing the use of “Something Else” as a category that erases Native Americans within the #Election2020

.

https://twitter.com/bangtanpebbles/status/1323929024834330624?s=21 https://twitter.com/BangtanPebbles/status/1323929024834330624

https://twitter.com/bangtanpebbles/status/1323929024834330624?s=21

The US Democracy has been modelled on Haudenosaunee Democracy, but #Election2020

pollsters have designated Native Americans as “Something Else” in 2020.

https://twitter.com/drew_martinez_/status/1323830115738906624?s=21 https://twitter.com/drew_martinez_/status/1323830115738906624

https://twitter.com/drew_martinez_/status/1323830115738906624?s=21

"The Iroquois Confederacy, founded by the Great Peacemaker in 11421, is the oldest living participatory democracy on earth. In 1988, the U.S. Senate paid tribute with a resolution that said,..."
https://www.pbs.org/native-america/blogs/native-voices/how-the-iroquois-great-law-of-peace-shaped-us-democracy/#:~:text=The%20Iroquois%20Confederacy%2C%20founded%20by,participatory%20democracy%20on%20earth2.&text=The%20peoples%20of%20the%20Iroquois,%2DSHAW%2Dnee%22).

How the Iroquois Great Law of Peace Shaped U.S. Democracy | Native America

Much has been said about the inspiration of the ancient Iroquois “Great League of Peace” in planting the seeds that led to the formation of the United States of America and its representative...

https://www.pbs.org/native-america/blogs/native-voices/how-the-iroquois-great-law-of-peace-shaped-us-democracy/#:~:text=The%20Iroquois%20Confederacy%2C%20founded%20by,participatory%20democracy%20on%20earth2.&text=The%20peoples%20of%20the%20Iroquois,%2DSHAW%2Dnee%22

"The confederation of the original 13 colonies into one republic was inﬂuenced by the political system developed by the Iroquois Confederacy, as were many of the democratic principles which were incorporated into the constitution itself."

https://twitter.com/rebeccanagle/status/1324013367082844160?s=21 https://twitter.com/rebeccanagle/status/1324013367082844160