WASHINGTON — Voting in elections is one the most significant ways to have your voice heard. So if you are not registered to vote, there is still time.

To bring awareness to the importance of registering to vote, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is hosting a special “Taking Action in 2020 Livestream” on Tuesday, which has been designated as National Voter Registration Day.
The event will be broadcast on NCAI’s Facebook page at 3:00 p.m. EDT and will feature special guests involved in voter registration efforts throughout Indian Country. NCAI President Fawn Sharp will be joined by Rep. Ruth Buffalo, the first Native American Democratic woman elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives, and other special guests from key swing states around the country.
NCAI estimates 1.2 million (34 percent) American Indians and Alaska Natives of voting age are unregistered. In addition, there are only four Native American members of the U.S. House of Representatives, which is half of what the number would be if Native representation was proportional to the U.S. American Indian and Alaska Native population.
With a growing national debate over issues important to Indian Country, such as energy, education, and the environment, it is vital that Native voices are included and heard.
In order to have Native voices heard in this election, you must be registered to vote.
For OJ Seamans Sr., executive director of Four Directions, the 2020 election is one of the most important for Native Americans.
“This election should be one of the most important elections Indian Country will be involved in for years to come, we have the Remove the Stain Act bills in the House and Senate, the Dakota Access Pipeline was allowed to continue because of a Presidential signature, we are in Federal Court on KXL and we continue to fight for equality for our people to participate in the electoral process, these are just some of the reasons we will make our voices heard,” Seamans said.
NCAI urges organizations and members of the public to join in on National Voter Registration Day to highlight the importance of voter registration and the power of the Native vote.
For more information about the “Taking Action in 2020” event, please click here and join here to watch the event live on Tuesday.
To register to vote, go to https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/register-to-vote/?source=NCAI and to learn more about NCAI’s Native Vote initiative, visit http://www.nativevote.org/
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Red Hoop Talk: Native Stories, Real Conversations
NEXT ON NATIVE BIDASKÉ: The Tribe Said No - Her Own People Refused Her
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher