© 2024 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Voting rights organizations work to inform Native American communities on importance of Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Damian Funmaker performs a traditional Ho-Chunk dance with the Wisconsin Dells Singers and Dancers during an event hosted by Wisconsin Native Vote to encourage voting at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center in Milwaukee, on Friday. The mural in the background, painted by Christopher Sweet, and reads, "Vote for our 7th generation."
Kayla Wolf for NPR
Damian Funmaker performs a traditional Ho-Chunk dance with the Wisconsin Dells Singers and Dancers during an event hosted by Wisconsin Native Vote to encourage voting at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center in Milwaukee. The mural in the background, painted by Christopher Sweet, and reads, "Vote for our 7th generation."

Organizations supporting Native American’s right to vote are trying to educate people about the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court Election.

Abortion access, voting districts, and voting rights are likely to come before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the coming years.

While those issues impact everyone, they’re more likely to disproportionately effect Native American communities says Native American Rights Fund staff attorney Allison Neswood.

“Sort of disproportionate impacts both short and long-term well-being for Native communities. They impact communities that are disproportionately living in poverty, that disproportionately may not have resources. Some of these issues are just really important,” said Neswood.

Neswood stresses that this doesn’t mean that all Native people feel the same way about each issue.

“But it means that they should have the same voice that other Americans or other Wisconsinites have in selecting who makes the decisions on those issues,” she said.

To that end, the Native American Rights Fund and the Wisconsin Native Vote program are working to educate Native Americans on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, how it could impact Native Americans, and making sure they know their voting rights.

Neswood is focused on educating people on the judicial system itself, like the oath Wisconsin judges take to administer justice with respect to persons or essentially the concept of justice is blind.

“This is great concept, but it’s not always in line with how communities experience the court system. A couple examples of that, evidence shows that even among people who commit of similar severity people of color are receiving longer sentences, more jail time than white folks,” said Neswood.

Wisconsin Native Vote Manager Dee Sweet wants to make sure Native Americans have all the information they need to make an educated vote.

She says things like minimal or lack of broadband connectivity in rural reservations can be another barrier for Native Americans to exercise their right to vote.

“I think we assume that our elders and some community members understand the technology, to be able to register to vote online or to be able to do their research about various candidates who are running for public office, oftentimes they don’t even have a laptop,” said Sweet. “I’m not saying they’re left out of modern day technology and society they just don’t have the kind of broadband or kind of technology to support that.”

Sweet said it’s also things like a lack of solid road infrastructure that make it even more difficult to get mail for things like an absentee ballot.

Neswood agrees.

“Those big structural issues that impact Natives across the country and we also see sort of pop up in Native Communities in Wisconsin. One thing that I think is really important to bring up about these structural issues is that they’re not just accidents. As I mentioned before, they are the result of the process of colonialism, structural racism,” said Neswood.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Election is April 4th.

Neither organization endorses candidates.

“We have to leave it up to the voters, especially Wisconsin Native Vote because we are non-partisan,” said Sweet. “Extra effort is required of the voter to seek out the candidates and be able to make an informed decision on who to vote for.”

The organizations along with the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are hosting a dinner and discussion event on these topics at Red Cliff Legendary Waters Casino on March 7.

You can register here.

Katie Thoresen is WXPR's News Director/Vice President.
Up North Updates
* indicates required
Related Content