First Nations Voter Rights Conference to be held September 2019 

ST. MICHAELS, NAVAJO NATION (Ariz.) —  The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Rural Utah Project, will be hosting a first-of-its-kind conference to discuss how voting, elections, and redistricting affect indigenous nations and peoples across the United States. “First Nations Voting Rights: Planting for the Future,” will be a conference to empower indigenous voters and compare strategies for equal representation, preparation for the 2020 census, 2021 redistricting, and rural addressing projects to ensure that every vote on indigenous nations across the country is counted.

The conference will be held at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College Of Law in Salt Lake City, Utah from Wednesday, September 25, 2019 to Friday, September 27, 2019. The conference is open to the public and attendees can register at www.firstnationvote.com.

The conference will feature indigenous leaders, academics, lawyers, and human rights activists from indigenous nations across the Mountain West region. Topics will range from increasing voter participation and registration, early voting, the 2020 census, 2021 redistricting, voter protection, and rural addressing technology.

Across the country, indigenous nations are starting to use current laws to gain better access to voting rights in Federal and State Elections. In 2018, indigenous nations watched as suppressive ID laws caused many indigenous voters to be turned away at the polls.

Now, the 2020 census will set the precedent for the next decade of resource allocation and redistricting across indigenous nations. The time for action is imminent and this conference will help ensure that indigenous voices are heard and indigenous votes are counted across the county.

“This conference will set a new precedent for how indigenous nations can engage voters and stakeholders across Indian Country. It’s time to compare strategies so that the voices of voters are heard, both now and for future generations of indigenous peoples. The seeds we plant today will resonate and create strategies for years to come,” said Leonard Gorman, Executive Director for Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission.

For more information, visit www.firstnationvote.com or contact the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission at 928-871-7436 or Rural Utah Project at info@rupcorp.org.