Rain and fear drive record early voting for Native Minnesotans

Jolene Jones stood under a canopy on a rainy Tuesday outside Little Earth, a Native-preference housing complex in south Minneapolis. The cold weather had not stopped the line of residents waiting to cast their ballots in the early-voting pop-up.

Jones asked a passerby if she had voted yet. She told her that their votes were important and that the community needed its people. Despite the weather, volunteers reported turnout was better than expected.

The team distributed free posters, yard signs, and T-shirts. They also served hot chocolate, coffee, and tea to keep the crowd warm and engaged. Jones is a lifelong resident of Little Earth and the manager of Make Voting a Tradition, or MVAT.

MVAT is an initiative by the Native American Community Development Institute, or NACDI. The group works to increase Native voter turnout and civic engagement. Jones said the initiative has helped improve participation since it started in 2014. However, she noted that this year feels more urgent.

That urgency stems from Operation Metro Surge. MVAT hosted an event Monday evening at the Minneapolis American Indian Center. The event featured art, music, and short films to encourage early voting. Native American rapper Tall Paul performed and spoke about federal agents targeting Native people.

Paul said his wife had been followed in her car by federal agents. He told the Sahan Journal that voting is important every year, but this year is different. He said a government agency that should not be attacking Native people did so.

Two short films played in a loop during the event. One was titled We Remain Sovereign. The other, Ikogaan Mikwan!, means ICE OUT in Ojibwe. The films depicted Native American resistance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Excitement also surrounds the U.S. Senate run by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. Native youth are not only voting themselves but also rallying friends and family. Em Matson, communications manager with NACDI, said the community feels empowered by looking out for neighbors.

MVAT encourages early voting so supporters can monitor polling stations or help neighbors on Election Day. Maya Jade Stand-Acero turned 18 in January and voted in the August primary. She was scared for her father, who became a naturalized citizen in February.

Stand-Acero said she realized the situation was real and not just something on television. She wants to be a social worker and a good neighbor. She checked in on her Latino friends to see if they needed help. Jamie Edwards, a senior adviser for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, said Native Americans were granted the right to vote in 1924.

Historically, states often prevented Native people from participating. The Minnesota Secretary of State does not collect data on voter race, so there is no state data on Native participation. MVAT collects its own data. In a 2023 survey, 766 respondents said voting is a pathway to change and a way to honor family traditions.

A 2024 MVAT survey of 448 people in the Twin Cities and northern reservations found that over half voted. They were driven by issues like women's rights, climate change, and tribal sovereignty. Michelle White, a Little Earth resident, voted early this year after missing the primary. She plans to urge her sons, ages 18 and 25, to do the same. Jacqueline Neadeau voted this week to protect the Boundary Waters and stop data centers. Rebecca Skinaway voted for the first time in the last presidential election, helped by a friend who drove her. She is concerned about the homelessness crisis and drug use in her neighborhood. She said her 6-year-old daughter represents the next generation and that the community must pave the way for her future.