Aguilar will discuss voting barriers with state’s tribal groups

Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar has launched a series of listening sessions with the state’s 28 tribal nations and colonies to learn about their voting challenges and increase services available to them.

Aguilar’s tour began Tuesday with the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum in Carson City to consult with local staff and leaders.

“I'm here today because I believe it's the responsibility of state leaders to spend time with tribal communities to understand the challenges, the issues and figure out solutions and move forward,” Aguilar said.

Aguilar told local media tribal voting turnout during the 2024 election increased by 36% from 2022 and doubled the statewide increase in the same period.

During the 2024 election, Nevada expanded its digital voting platform and bolstered the number of polling locations available on tribal land to 20 by adding three new locations.

The Effective Absenteeism System for Elections, the digital system, helped tackle transportation or Internet access barriers for indigenous voters. Some often have to drive more than hour to access polling locations or don’t provide mail ballots.

During the election in November, 61 tribal citizens representing 11 state tribes used EASE to vote online, according to the Secretary of State office.

“Nevada is such a large state with very rural communities,” he said. “This is going to take us some time, but we’re committed to doing it throughout the rest of the year.”

Nevada, as a battleground state, offers strategic initiatives, including reaching out to younger voters who might also need to learn about the process, Aguilar said. He said his staff has reached out to high schools and colleges to ensure they also are registered to vote and understand their rights and responsibilities in casting their ballots.

Stacey Montooth, executive director of the Nevada Department of Native American Affairs, thanked Aguilar for his willingness to listen to the tribes, bands and colonies. The tour at Stewart also held a special significance for historical and cultural reasons, she said.

“Data indicates that more than any other subpopulation, Native Americans made it to the polls to cast their votes during the last presidential election by far more than any other group,” Montooth said. “It's really important to realize that the Secretary of State is starting this active listening tour at this particular place. This is a site where, for 90 years, the federal governments engaged in for assimilation. The motto for the federal government was "Kill the Indians, Save the Man.”

Montooth said voting benefits all the members when they feel inclusive of the electoral process.

“In the last presidential election, we had a place where our native citizens could vote, they cast their ballots,” she said. “So that's not only good for Indian country, it's good for this land, it's good for the whole process because voting is absolutely at the essence of democracy, and we’re thrilled to be able to be a part of this great programming that’s making that happen.”

Aguilar also responded to Monday’s announcement in which his office reported on voter roll cleanup efforts following the 2024 general election. More than 160,000 voter registrations and 37,000 voters were inactivated in accordance with state and federal law, according to the announcement.

The state sent out notices to all 17 districts to allow voters to confirm or update their address and communicate with their county whether they had moved or desired to cancel their registration.

“There is a process that we must go through to ensure every voter is a current registered voter in the system,” Aguilar said.