Native Organizers Alliance - It’s not election security. It’s voter suppression.

 

Patricia, The Trump administration is trying to transform the United States Postal Service into a tool for voter suppression. Even though experts believe Trump’s executive order is illegal, the USPS is planning to implement it anyway with a new rule that would give the federal government control over all mail-in voting. Here’s how it works: States would be compelled to use a list compiled in part by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working with the Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Commissioner of Social Security, of “verified” citizens. Only so-called verified citizens would then be “eligible” to receive mail-in and absentee ballots regardless of whether or not the person is legally registered to vote. Not only does the proposed rule take the running of an election out of the control of state government and into the hands of the USPS to decide who gets a ballot or not, the DHS database of citizens has already been proven inaccurate and filled with mistakes. It’s voter suppression under the guise of election security. Natives are U.S. citizens at birth. Period. Full stop! Still DHS and other federal officials have often violated our rights. And Native people have been detained by ICE over and over again, because many Natives only have Tribal IDs and do not have easy access to standard birth certificates. The bottom line is that Trump’s proposal would force postal workers and election officials into carrying out a voter suppression system built on unreliable data and millions of legally registered voters, Natives and non-Natives alike, could be denied ballots for federal elections entirely. Not delayed. Not challenged after voting. Denied the ballot before they even have the chance to vote. It’s an abuse of government power, but there is still time to stop it. The USPS is required to hear public comments on this plan before they can implement it. Sign and submit an official comment against this plan to demand the USPS protect vote by mail and reject implementation of Trump’s illegal order now. SUBMIT A COMMENT Every election, we work on reservations and with urban Native communities to educate our voters about why voting matters. From protecting our water, land, air and sacred spaces to treaty rights and Tribal sovereignty, we organize -- for today and for how our descendants will live. Now, we must organize to prevent this new form of voter suppression. When Indian Country works together to protect the right to vote, we prove that our people are doing our part to build a majority movement to overcome totalitarianism and repression. Mother Earth and future generations are depending on all of us. Everything that is sacred is on the ballot in 2026. We must each do everything we can to protect the right to vote. Please sign and submit your official comment now. Hawwih (thank you) for taking action today. Judith LeBlanc (Caddo) Executive Director BUILD NATIVE POWER

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