Native vote

Daniel McCool, Susan M. Olson, Jennifer L. Robinson0521839831, 9780521839839

The right to vote is the foundation of democratic government; all other policies are derived from it. The history of voting rights in America has been characterized by a gradual expansion of the franchise. American Indians are an important part of that story but have faced a prolonged battle to gain the franchise. One of the most important tools wielded by advocates of minority voting rights has been the Voting Rights Act. This book explains the history and expansion of Indian voting rights, with an emphasis on seventy cases based on the Voting Rights Act and/or the Equal Protection Clause. The authors describe the struggle to obtain Indian citizenship and the basic right to vote, then analyze the cases brought under the Voting Rights Act, including three case studies. The final two chapters assess the political impact of these cases and the role of American Indians in contemporary politics.

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Table of contents :
Cover……Page 1
Series-title……Page 3
Title……Page 5
Copyright……Page 6
Dedication……Page 7
Contents……Page 9
Preface……Page 11
Subjects Become Citizens……Page 17
From Citizenship to Suffrage……Page 25
State Constitutions……Page 26
Self-Termination……Page 27
Taxation……Page 28
Guardianship……Page 30
Literacy……Page 34
Conclusion……Page 35
The Legislative and Judicial Evolution of the Voting Rights Act of 1965……Page 37
The Original Statute……Page 38
The Amendments of 1970 and 1975……Page 41
Judicial Interpretations of the Voting Rights Act in the 1970s……Page 43
The 1982 Amendments……Page 44
The Supreme Court Changes Course……Page 46
Bilingual Elections: Section 203……Page 48
The 1992 Amendments……Page 49
Principal Actors in Voting Rights Litigation on Behalf of Indians……Page 51
The Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department……Page 52
The Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union……Page 55
Indian Organizations……Page 58
For the Defendants: The Mountain States Legal Foundation……Page 59
Conclusion……Page 60
3 A Milestone on the Reservation: The Voting Rights Act Comes to Indian Country……Page 61
The Right to Register, Vote, and Run for Office……Page 63
The Right to Language Assistance……Page 89
At-Large Electoral Systems……Page 91
Redistricting……Page 97
Section 5 and Bailouts……Page 101
Conclusion……Page 104
4 It’s Our Turn: Indian Voting in San Juan County, Utah……Page 106
Historical Context……Page 107
Voting Rights in Utah……Page 111
The Voting Rights Act in San Juan County, Utah……Page 113
The Bilingual Voting Rights Case in San Juan County……Page 114
Vote Dilution in San Juan County……Page 116
The Impact of the Voting Rights Cases in San Juan County……Page 121
Conclusion……Page 126
5 Going to Court for a Seat at the Table: Fort Belknap versus Blaine County……Page 127
The Historical Context……Page 129
The Contemporary Context……Page 131
The Trial……Page 135
The Decision……Page 143
Conclusion……Page 145
6 Lakotas in the Legislature: The Bone Shirt Case……Page 147
The Historical Context……Page 149
The Contemporary Context……Page 157
The Case……Page 159
The Decision……Page 166
Conclusion……Page 169
The Impact on Registration and Turnout……Page 171
Single-Member Districts……Page 174
Cumulative Voting Systems……Page 178
Mixed Systems……Page 179
Multimember Plans……Page 180
Impact on Policy……Page 181
Impact on Laws and Regulations……Page 184
Impact on Services……Page 187
Access to Government……Page 189
Perception of Government……Page 190
Conclusion……Page 191
8 From Extermination to Electorate: Indians in American Politics……Page 192
The 2004 Native Vote Campaign……Page 193
Partisan Appeals……Page 195
Procedural Problems and Resistance……Page 199
Beyond Voting……Page 200
The Future of the Voting Rights Act……Page 204
Conclusion……Page 207
Articles, Books, Hearings, Interviews……Page 213
Cases……Page 232
Statutes……Page 237
Attorneys General Opinions……Page 239
Index……Page 241