The Justice Department revealed on Monday that it had reached an agreement with Bennett County, South Dakota, and its officials to settle claims that the county had not given Native American voters equal access to early voting and registration opportunities as required by Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
As part of the agreement, Bennett County will open a satellite office in Allen, South Dakota, offering in-person registration and absentee voting services during regular business hours for the entire 46-day absentee voting period required by the state, prior to federal, state, and county elections.
A federal investigation revealed that Native Americans in Bennett County lacked equal access to in-person registration and absentee voting as provided under state law. Many American Indians residing on Tribal lands face significant challenges in traveling long distances to the county seat in Martin, South Dakota, for these voting services.
Since 2015, the state has made Help America Vote Act funds available to counties like Bennett to establish satellite offices on tribal lands.
“It is time to eliminate all barriers standing between Native American voters and the ballot box across our country. An inclusive democracy must provide all of its eligible voters access to the full range of voter registration and early voting opportunities required by law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “With this agreement, we will ensure that Native American voters will have the same access to registration and early voting as do other voters. The Justice Department will continue to challenge discriminatory election-related laws and policies and will vigorously enforce federal law to move us ever closer to a fully enfranchised Native electorate.”
More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting