The Justice Department has secured an agreement with Bennett County, South Dakota, and county officials to resolve claims that the county has failed to make its registration and early voting opportunities equally open to Native American voters as required by Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bennett County will operate a satellite office in Allen, South Dakota, to provide in-person registration and absentee voting services during regular business hours for the full state-mandated 46-day absentee voting period prior to federal, state and county elections.
“It is time to eliminate all barriers standing between Native American voters and the ballot box across our country. An inclusive democracy must provide all of its eligible voters access to the full range of voter registration and early voting opportunities required by law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “With this agreement, we will ensure that Native American voters will have the same access to registration and early voting as do other voters. The Justice Department will continue to challenge discriminatory election-related laws and policies and will vigorously enforce federal law to move us ever closer to a fully enfranchised Native electorate.”…