Commissioners Agree To Satellite Voting Office
The Roosevelt County commissioners said last week that a satellite voting office will be opened in Poplar on Oct. 21-23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The satellite voting location will be in an office at the Fort Peck tribal headquarters in Poplar. Three county employees and one tribal employee are needed to man the operations. Individuals can register and vote at the location.
Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said whether more days will be available in future elections will be addressed down the line.
“We will re-evaluate after these three days,” Oelkers said.
Proponents of Native American’s voting rights filed a lawsuit in early October against Roosevelt and Valley counties for failure to provide adequate satellite voting offices in Poplar and Frazer.
The lawsuit noted that, on Sept. 16, plaintiffs submitted letters to both counties requesting the establishment of satellite offices in Frazer and at the tribal headquarters in Poplar.
The lawsuit claims that the defendants have violated the constitution of the State of Montana by depriving tribal members of their free exercise of the right of suffrage. The lawsuit mentions that tribal members in Roosevelt County travel up to 90 miles round trip from Fort Kipp to Wolf Point to exercise their rights to equal access.
“The result of the counties’ failure to establish satellite offices as the designated locations on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation constitute and unjustifiable burden on the voting rights of tribal members,” the lawsuit claims.
Plaintiffs want satellite offices to be located in Frazer and Poplar the same hours for late registration and in-person absentee ballot voting as the Valley and Roosevelt county courthouses on Oct. 8 through Nov. 4.
A hearing was conducted in Glasgow on Friday, Oct. 18, that featured representatives for Roosevelt County, Valley County and the Secretary of State office.
Sariah Red Eagle, attorney for plaintiffs, was granted her request to be removed from the case due a conflict of interest. Red Eagle explained to District Judge Yvonne Laird that she recognized the conflict of interest after reading the entire file on Friday, Oct. 11.
Plaintiffs told the judge that they didn’t feel they could proceed on their own without having new legal representation.
Roosevelt County Attorney Theresa Diekhans reported that she and Oelkers met with Fort Peck tribal officials and will have a satellite office open for three days.
Diekhans said she encourages Roosevelt County and the tribes to reach a MOU for future elections.
Valley County Attorney Dylan Jensen said the county is trying to reach an agreement with the tribes. They have also inquired with Frazer Schools about holding a satellite office at that location.
Laird said that it appears that elected officials in both counties are taking the matter seriously and are willing to work with Fort Peck tribal officials.
A status conference was scheduled for Nov. 18, at 3 p.m.
