The Power of the American Indian Vote

Members of the Red Lake Political Education Committee meet with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

With Labor Day fast approaching, so does the campaign season. I was thinking about this reputation that the Bemidji area has for racism. While one can make that case, one can also make a case for a growing progressivism. This is evidenced by the 151 sites that are posting Ojibwe/English signage in the area, and also the success of the "Everything you wanted to know about Indians but were afraid to Ask" series of presentations.

So then I thought about elections. The Bemidji area has elected Indians to public office and the DFL has nominated Indians for a variety of offices, mostly successful. This year, we even have what may be the first case of Indian running against Indian for a non-tribal office, in the history of the state of Minnesota. Clue: Beltrami County Commissioner, see below.

The Red Lake Political Education Committee was featured in a film produced by the U.S. Census

I’m not saying there isn’t much more to be done, but we have made progress over the past 20 years, and I know we can do more. Red Lake, Leech Lake, and White Earth are all in positions to - if not elect outright American Indian candidates - to influence the outcome of several elections, including State Rep, State Senate, county and school board offices...IF we would just vote. 

Red Lake and other tribes in Minnesota consistently vote in greater percentages than the state as a whole, but we can do more. In Red Lake's case, perhaps a thousand more Red Lakers vote in tribal elections than vote in non-tribal elections, and the Red Lake Political Education Committee (RLPEC) estimates, there may be another thousand who don't vote at all. They are doing all they can to register those voters and get them to the polls.  

The Red Lake Political Education Committee holds candidate forums to assess the qualifications of candidates. Here candidates for Beltrami County Sheriff appear at Red Lake to an overflow crowd of Indians and non-Indians.

I believe in the power of Indians as candidates, as contributors, as campaign professionals, and as voters to bring about great change in our country.

Only when Indians are involved in the political process are they truly represented. When Indians make law and policy, the needs of Indian Country and all those less fortunate are not ignored.

Look for this bill board on Hwy 2 west near the Amigo Theaters late next month

RLPEC members believe that America needs people in public office who reflect the beautiful diversity of her people. It is unconscionable that the First Americans are too often the Last Americans to have their voices heard. We all need to support Indian candidates and office holders who understand Indian issues and are responsive to the needs of Indian Country. Only when Indians are effectively involved in the political process can they and their interests be truly represented, and it is only when Indians are united behind a common cause that effective political involvement becomes possible. 

Any rate here’s some successes we’ve had without thinking about it too much.  All the following are of American Indian descent.

Several Indians have served as Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Beltrami DFL, including Roy Nelson of Ponemah who was the first Indian County DFL Chair. Sally Fineday, Leech Lake, is the current Beltrami County DFL Associate Chair.

Several Indians have been elected delegates to represent Minnesota at Democrat National Conventions including Delores Cloud. On several occasions the Beltrami DFL has elected more Indians as state convention delegates than non-Indians.

Stephanie Cobenais, of Red Lake is very active in the Beltrami County DFL and has held several offices. She was elected to State DFL Board, and is a member of the state DFL Women’s Hall of Fame.

Elaine Fleming (above) was the first Indian elected as Cass Lake Mayor. Herb South, though not enrolled is of American Indian descent, was a Bemidji City Councilor, as is Derrick Houle a candidate for Bemidji City Council in 2012.

Joe Day, served several years as a Bemidji School District Board Member.  Of course, all Red Lake school board members are Indian.

Sandra King of Red Lake in Beltrami County, was the first Indian elected in Minnesota to a County Commissioner seat in 1996.

Quentin Fairbanks, an enrolled Red Lake member, succeeded Sandra King as Beltrami County Commissioner.

Tim Sumner, a Red Lake member from Ponemah is challenging Quentin Fairbanks for his seat on the Beltrami County Board. This is the first time (as far as we know) that two Indians have vied for election to any non-tribal office in a general election in the state of Minnesota.

DeeWayne Rongstad, an Ojibwe from White Earth served a couple of terms as Beltrami County Sheriff.

Irene Folstrom (Leech Lake) ran a very credible campaign for a highly contested DFL endorsement for District 4 Minnesota Senate in 2006, losing only after several ballots. She later ran for Bemidji Mayor.

DFLer Susan Allen was elected the first American Indian woman to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. She won 55 percent of the vote in Minneapolis’ 61B district in 2010. 

Allen’s parents came from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations in South Dakota but they moved around a lot when she was young. She lived in several small towns and reservations in five different states by the time she was 14. 

Allen says she brings a unique perspective. She was a single mother relying on public transportation and public assistance programs to get herself through law school. And, she’s a lesbian. 

The Huffington Post reports she’s the first openly gay American Indian elected to any state legislature.

Harold “Skip” Finn, Leech Lake member, was the first Indian elected as a Minnesota State Senator, District 4, in 1990. 

Dick Tanner of Walker was the DFL endorsed candidate for District 4B state representative in the early 80's. Dick's daughter Evelyn Tanner was the DFL endorsed candidate for District 4B almost two decades later in 1998. Evelyn lost by only 250 votes out of 17,000 cast. Larry Kitto, (Lakota) was a DFL endorsed candidate for District 4A, (Bemidji) State Representative in the early 80's.

Linda Bedeau, Quentin Fairbanks, and Darrell Auginash, all Red Lakers ran credible campaigns for major party endorsement for state representative or senator.

Since 1848, nine American Indian men have served as legislators in Minnesota. Six of them held office while Minnesota was still a territory.  The famous author of Ojibwe history, William W. Warren was one.

William Whipple Warren

The Author of "History of the Ojibway Nation" and "History of the Ojibways," based upon traditions and oral statements, William Whipple Warren served in the Minnesota Territorial Legislature.  In 1850 he was a legislator with the Minnesota Territory and in 1851 elected a representative to the US Congress.

Charles Curtis

Charles Curtis served as 31st Vice-President of the United States of America from 1929 to 1933.  But few people know this - nearly half of Curtis' background was made up of American Indian stock. His mother, Ellen Pappan Curtis, was one-fourth Kaw, one-fourth Osage, and one-fourth Pottawatomie (as well as one-fourth French). Curtis spent part of his early life on a Kaw reservation, and is the first and only person with acknowledged non-European ancestry to reach either of the two highest offices in the United States government's executive branch.  He was also US Senate Majority Leader, President pro tem of the US Senate, US Senator of course, and US Representative from Kansas.  He was however a controversial Republican who had pros and cons as far as his support of Indian Country.