A federal judge has set a hearing date over the lawsuit between two Native American tribes in Northern Nevada and the state over polling places and voter registration on the reservations.
Federal Judge Miranda Du set a 9 a.m. Oct. 4 hearing date at the federal courthouse in Reno for the case between the Walker River and Pyramid Lake Paiutes. The Paiutes are requesting voter registration satellite sites as well as early polling and Election Day sites.
The tribes made a request to Washoe and Mineral counties in August for the election accommodations, but were denied. The tribes filed a federal lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act alleging voter disenfranchisement of a protected group.
The state has until Sep. 29 to reply to the complaint, after which the tribes have until Oct. 3 to respond before the case is heard before Du just four days before the Oct. 8 voter registration deadline.
“Again and again, public officials refuse equality for Native voters,” said OJ Semans, executive director of the Native American advocacy group Four Directions. “It is unconstitutional and illegal to provide only 1 or 2 ways for Native voters to participate while providing 15 or more ways for Anglos to vote. At its core, that is what this case is about.”
Washoe County Registrar Luanne Cutler declined to comment on the case since litigation is pending. Mineral County Clerk-Treasurer Chris Nepper and Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Source: Reno Journel-Gazette; 09.21.16
