Tribal Leaders Advocate for Increased Ballot Drop Boxes on Reservations to Counter Mail-in Voting Concerns
Tribal leaders and state officials, including Julie Johnson of the Lummi Nation, co-chair of the Native Vote committee at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) and chair of the Native American Caucus of the Washington State Democrats, are urging Native communities to utilize ballot drop boxes and vote early. This push comes amidst concerns over mail-in voting, particularly in Washington state, where an increasing number of ballots have been rejected due to late postmarks following changes to U.S. Postal Service policy. These changes, which were challenged by Washington state in a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service, could disproportionately affect rural communities, including reservations, due to the distance to processing centers. While every reservation in Washington currently has at least one drop box, Johnson is encouraging tribal leaders, especially on larger reservations like Colville and Yakama, to request additional drop boxes from the Secretary of State's office to ensure accessibi...
