Every vote is important to our American democracy. In Washington, D.C., our congressional delegation will be considering necessary elements of our election system that could include ways to better support all Alaska communities and villages. We support our congressional delegation in supporting voting accessibility and look forward to the leadership of Sen. Lisa Murkowski with Alaska’s Native community through election and campaign finance reform.
The “For the People Act,” or S.1, is legislation that could help secure the future of our democracy, elevate the voices of every community by updating voting procedures particularly important for vulnerable communities, and improve transparency in political campaigns.
Alaska is proudly home to 229 federally recognized tribes — the most in the United States — making up 17.3% of voters in our state. Alaska Natives proudly turn out and participate in the democratic process by casting our votes. Unfortunately, Alaska’s Native voters have historically faced disproportionate challenges to participating in elections with many located in rural corners of the state. We need policies that break down barriers to democratic participation — including early and mail-in voting. Ensuring these democratic mechanisms will empower all Alaskans to safely participate in our elections.
We, with many other Alaskans, are particularly concerned with the amount of outside money that is coming into campaigns. It is often referred to as “dark money,” and has flooded political spending from out-of-state groups which not only tip the scales of our democracy but can undermine our votes as individuals. Those who can cut the largest checks should not be able to secretly sway our elections, especially not over the voices of lifelong Alaskans and hardworking families. Our elections must be decided on the core issues facing real Alaskans, not influenced by those hiding behind weak campaign disclosure requirements from out of state. We need improvements in the transparency of political campaigns.
We appreciate Sen. Murkowski’s leadership on behalf of Alaskans, particularly the Native community, as we continue to weather historically challenging circumstances today.
— Ukallaysaaq and Igḷuġuq Okleasik
Nome
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