Top 10 States
with the Highest
Populations of
Voting-Age Natives
3
134,000
3
50,000
%
WA
27,000
5
8%
7
Senator Tim Johnson
(D-SD) was re-elected by
500 votes in 2002, with
the final votes counted
coming from the Pine
Ridge Reservation.
49,000
%
%
OR
3%
SD
WY
Senator Lisa Murkowski
(R-AK) credits her victory
in the 2010 election to the
significant power of the
Alaska Native vote. With
over 100,000 write-in
votes, she was only the
2 nd successful US Senate
write-in candidate.
5% 10%
AZ
17%
NM
11%
Registered
Not Registered
OK
Map Key
Eligible AIAN
Voters in 2010
232,000
AK
66%
1,000,000
76,000
88,000
Voting Population
Of American Indians and
Alaska Natives eligible to vote,
only 66% are registered,
compared to 74% of
eligible non-Hispanic
Whites.
ND
MT
%
With endorsements from
12 tribes, Senator Maria
Cantwell (D-WA) was
narrowly elected in
2000, creating a 50-50
tie in the US Senate.
The power of the
Native Vote has been
significant in state
races and important
national races.
Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
won the 2012 election by a 1%
margin. Heitkamp noted that her
only road to Washington, DC
was through Indian Country.
In 2006, Senator John Tester
(D-MT) won his election by 3,562
votes, over 17,000 voters cast
ballots on Indian reservations.
%
149,000
AIAN
population as %
of state’s total
population
(18 and over)
34% of the total Native
population over 18 — or
1,000,000 eligible voters —
is not registered to vote.
Ballot measure to
expand the number of
legislative districts fails.
2006
2003
Montana creates six
American Indianmajority districts.
Nine American Indians serve in the
Montana Legislature, reflecting proportion
of American Indian state population.
Alaska Redistricting Board merges
two Southeast Districts, diminishing
rural Native voter impact.
2012
State population triples between 1959-2009,
though no change in the number of state
representatives or legislative districts.
2011
of Native Districts
Tribes’ influence leads to the
appointment of a tribal member as
Chair of Redistricting Commission.
2010
ALASKA: Erosion
19592009
a Base of Power
Montana tribes challenge
1990 redistricting and file
case in federal court.
1999
MONTANA: Building
1990
Lower Turnout
Election loss of long-serving
Alaska Native State Senator Albert
Kookesh due to redistricting.
The turnout rate of American
Indian and Alaska Native
registered voters is 5 to 14
percentage points lower than
the rate of many other
racial and ethnic groups.
Source: Demos, 2012.
Increase in American Indian
and Alaska Native US Populations
Elected Representation
in US Government
4.1
million
If representation in Congress
was proportional to the US
Native population, we would
have 2 Native Senators and 7
Native Members of the House.
2010
million
2000
1.9
Proportional
0 2
2 7
64 Native State Legislators
million
1990
= 1 million
AIAN People
Source: US Census
Oklahoma
Maine
Maryland
New Mexico
South Dakota
Minnesota
Montana
Washington
North Carolina
Alaska
Illinois
North Dakota
Arizona
Kansas
Wyoming
22 Native Legislators
9 Native Legislators
8 Native Legislators
5 Native Legislators
5 Native Legislators
3 Native Legislators
17 Senators
1 Native Legislator
2 Native Legislators
1 Native Legislator
1 Native Legislator
1 Native Legislator
1 Native Legislator
1 Native Legislator
e ma l
e
Energy
1 Native Legislator
3 Native Legislators
F
Key Issues that Bring Native
People to the Ballot Box
Tribal Government
Sovereignty
Senate
5.2
Actual
House
2 Native US
Representatives
31%
69%
Indian Child
Welfare
Gaming
Education
Environmental
Impact Issues
Water
Federal Budget
& Spending
Mal e
47 Representatives
National Congress of American Indians
Embassy of Tribal Nations
1516 P Street NW | Washington, DC 20005
www.NCAI.org | www.NativeVote.org
Fast Facts