Native Americans were the first to inhabit and cherish this land. Despite being the original inhabitants, Native Americans and Alaska Natives were the last main groups to receive national citizenship rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. June 2, 2024, marks the centenary of the Indian Citizenship Act, also known as the Snyder Act, signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge. This landmark legislation granted citizenship to American Indians and Alaska Natives born in the United States. Prior to the Snyder Act, citizenship for Native Americans was acquired through various means, including the Dawes Act of 1887, the Burke Act of 1906, marriage, treaties, and specific Congressional acts pertaining to tribes or individuals.
The federal policy of granting citizenship was met with opposition among tribes, yet the bill passed into law. Furthermore, while the right to vote was granted to all U.S. citizens regardless of race in 1870, it wasn’t until 1948 that the last state removed prohibitions against Native American voting rights. Non-Native women gained the right to vote in 1919, highlighting the irony that the first inhabitants and citizens of North America were the last to receive full rights in many respects.
Despite these challenges, Native Americans have contributed significantly to the fabric of the nation. They have fought in every conflict starting from the earliest contact to the present day. Over 15,000 Native Americans served in World War I alone, and the 1940 Selective Service Act established the right to draft Native Americans.
Understanding the past is critical as Native America looks forward. In 1924, Native Americans were granted citizenship without the right to vote. Today citizens of the culturally diverse 574 federally recognized tribes have the opportunity to participate in shaping the future of their families and communities through voting in local, state, and national elections. Voting is essential for asserting nationhood and influencing outcomes at the polls.
However, fair and equal access to voting for Native Americans has been repeatedly suppressed. In response, the Native American Voting Rights Coalition (NAVRC) was established in 2015. Comprised of voting rights advocates, lawyers, civil rights experts, and tribal advocates, NAVRC addresses voting issues in Indian Country and develops solutions.
Key organizations like the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund participate in NAVRC and are working to eliminate barriers to Native American voter registration and participation. They provide educational resources and liaison with Indigenous communities to understand systemic and cultural obstacles that hinder full exercise of voting rights.
On June 4, 2020 NAVRC released its final report titled “Obstacles at Every Turn: Barriers to Political Participation Faced by Native American Voters” documenting significant challenges in the electoral process for Native American and Alaska Native people.
Allison Neswood, a Navajo attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, emphasized the importance of voting: “Voting in this country is one tool that we have to protecting our rights. We have a lot of power to swing close elections in states like Arizona and Wisconsin. Further we deserve to have people in positions of power bringing a Native voice and Native story to the halls of power to be involved in decision making. Native people have the power to make our values and voices heard in our political system.”
For more information on the Indian Citizenship Act, read the 2024 NARF Legal Review.
The non-partisan initiative Native Vote advocate three steps to ensure Native voices are heard on Election Day: (1) Register to Vote, (2) Make a voting plan, and (3) Vote!
Be an Election Hero. Plan now to vote on Election Day, November 5.
Native America is counting on your participation.