Voters Guide
CILS protects the California Native vote, aligning with tribal sovereignty. Historically, Native American voters faced barriers. Voting empowers collective Native voices for political change. CILS urges all Natives to register and vote in the General and Primary Elections.
2026 Election Information
Voter resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) in California
California Ballot Proposition 25-0007
This November, California voters will be asked to decide whether to amend the California constitution to include voter identification requirements. If passed, California Ballot Proposition 25-0007 would impose new requirements for both in-person and mail-in voting, and create new duties for election officials to verify voter qualifications. These changes would impose high costs on Native voters, threatening Native electoral participation and voter turnout.
The primer below details 1) the major changes that the proposed amendment would produce, and 2) potential strategies to mitigate adverse impacts to Native communities.
History of Native American Voting
Until 1957, despite the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, Native Americans faced significant barriers to voting rights. The Fifteenth Amendment guaranteed voting rights regardless of race, yet early interpretations and state laws often excluded Native Americans. Even when citizenship was granted, discriminatory practices persisted, as seen in cases like Anderson v. Matthews (1907) in California and Porter v. Hall (1928) in Arizona.
Legal battles continued, with victories like Harrison v. Laveen (1948) in Arizona and Trujillo v. Garley (1948) in New Mexico gradually affirming Native American voting rights. Utah was the last state to amend its laws, allowing Native Americans to vote in 1957 after the Allen v. Merrell case. Today, the election of James C. Ramos as California's first Native American State Assembly member and the establishment of the Native American Accessibility Advisory Committee signal progress and empowerment for California's Native voters.
Through perseverance and advocacy, Native American voters have secured their right to vote, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle for voting equality.
Our Work Continues
It is important to us that work we do across California impacts Native Americans
in manners that will affect generations to come. Check out the other initiatives we
are working on below.