We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
This billboard sits north of Harlem on Highway 241.
On November 1, NonStop Local ran a press release that triggered concern for Blaine County residents. The piece suggested that the United States Justice Department (DOJ) would be monitoring voting in 27 states, including Blaine County, Montana, for the November 5 election.
Curious about the cause, questions swirled in the minds of many: Why was Blaine County "singled out"? What kind of monitoring was going to happen? About what compliance issues was the Justice Department concerned? Who from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division would be on site on Tuesday, November 5? Would these developments cause disruptions or any delay in voting results?
Other area residents speculated that perhaps the DOJ would be monitoring for voter suppression concerns which surfaced in 2012. At that time, Native American voters in three Montana counties found themselves at a disadvantage: Access to voting was a barrier. Though not a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise Indian voters, there are no county courthouses located on Indian reservations, and some Native American voters considered travelling to the population centers where such facilities are located to be cost prohibitive or even impossible.
Given these circumstances, tribal members from the Fort Belknap, Northern Cheyenne, and Crow reservations filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for the District of Montana, Billings Division: Mark Wandering Medicine, et al., v. Linda McCulloch, in her official capacity as Montana Secretary of State, et al.
According to the DOJ website: "The plaintiffs' complaint alleges, among other things, that the location of the site for in-person late registration and early voting in Big Horn, Blaine, and Rosebud counties discriminates against Native Americans."
Section 11 of the lawsuit goes on to state: "In this case, the irreparable harm is clear. Without an injunction, Native Americans in Big Horn, Blaine, and Rosebud counties will not have the same electoral opportunities as their white counterparts. . . . The relief that the plaintiffs seek here is appropriately tailored to the defendants' violation of federal law. They seek an order requiring the defendants to open a satellite office in each county that is accessible to Indian voters."
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Montana supported these efforts by filing an amicus brief.
In June 2014, state and county election officials settled the case with the tribal plaintiffs and agreed to establish satellite offices on the reservations twice a week through Election Day.
The Blaine County Journal-News-Opinion reached out to the Blaine County Election Department, whose representatives met with DOJ personnel on Monday afternoon, November 4. After that meeting, they released this statement: "Blaine County has worked diligently to ensure equal access to voting throughout the County. Blaine County is unaware of any compliance issues with the 2024 election and does not anticipate any disruptions at any of the polling locations on election day."
Officials added: "Any monitoring by the DOJ will not impact or delay tabulation of the election results. As stated by the press release issued by the Department of Justice on November 1, 2024, the department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. Blaine County regards the Department of Justice's observation of the election in Blaine County as an additional means to promote transparency and fairness in this election."
