What rights do Native Americans have to vote?
Native Americans in Oklahoma have the same right to vote as everyone else in the state. According to the Oklahoma State Election Board, any resident of the state who meets basic qualifications, such as being 18 years of age, having citizenship in the United States, and being a resident of the county in which they are registering, is eligible to vote. The US government has put in place numerous laws to protect Native Americans from discrimination in voting. The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed to ensure Native Americans have the right to vote and not be denied or intimidated. In addition, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits any measure which would have the effect of denying or abridging the right of Native Americans to vote. The state of Oklahoma also has several laws and regulations in place to protect and ensure Native Americans’ voting rights. Most significantly, the Oklahoma Indian Voting Rights Act of 2004 requires Oklahoma agencies to provide voting materials in Native American languages. This includes providing both written and verbal instructions about the process of voter registration and voting. Finally, the United States Department of Justice has a program called the Voting Rights Task Force, which seeks to protect the voting rights of Native Americans. The task force works to protect the Native American right to vote by investigating allegations of illegal voter suppression and taking legal action against those who are found to be in violation of the law. Overall, Native Americans in Oklahoma have the same right to vote as everyone else. The US government has put in place numerous laws to protect Native Americans from discrimination in voting, and the Oklahoma state government has taken steps to ensure Native Americans can exercise their right and participate in the democratic process.
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