Arizona tribes intervene against lawsuit seeking to restrict ballot drop boxes

Published: Monday, December 11, 2023 - 2:11pm

Two Native American tribes have intervened in a court case to protect the use of ballot drop boxes on Arizona reservations. 

The White Mountain and the San Carlos Apache tribes intervened in a case brought by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. It wants a judge to outlaw ballot drop boxes. The tribes argue some members have to drive hours to vote and that the U.S. mail is unreliable in rural parts of the state. 

"We want to make sure that this option that communities have been using for years remains an option. Especially given the real challenges that reservation residents face when it comes to having their voice heard," said Allison Neswood, an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund.

Neswood says removing drop boxes would disproportionately affect Native American voters in Arizona.

Fronteras Elections Native American Affairs