Guest Opinion. For most of United States history, Native Americans could not vote in U.S. elections. Most Natives were denied U.S. citizenship until 1924, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that the federal government established full voting rights for Natives. So, when we talk about the importance of voting, we understand it as a hard-won right gained in recent history by our elders and ancestors.
That’s why voting is more than just a right; it is a responsibility that all Cherokees should embrace whether you live within the Cherokee Nation Reservation, across Oklahoma, or in other parts of the country.
Voting is one of the most powerful ways tribal citizens can make their voices heard, whether in tribal, local, state, or federal elections. It’s not just about who wins the election. When federal and state leaders know that tribal citizens are an active voting constituency, our voice is more likely to be heard, even beyond election years. Voting helps to ensure that unique tribal issues remain in focus during important political conversations…