October 17, 2022
Owyhee, Nev. — This month, the The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, with the assistance of Four Directions Native Vote, filed a lawsuit against Elko County for unequal access to voting. The County’s refusal to create fair and equitable polling locations on the Reservation denies Tribal members in Elko County equal access to voting and imposes an unfair burden on their ability to vote. Shoshone-Paiute Tribal Chairman Brian Mason said, “We made the request for in-person voting access in a timely fashion as per the Nevada statute on the form authorized by Nevada’s Secretary of State. Elko county refuses to comply with the Constitution and leaves us no recourse other than litigation.”
Following the filing of this lawsuit, All Voting is Local Nevada State Director, Kerry Durmick, released the following statement:
“We support the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, and their lawsuit against Elko County for its lack of access to polling locations, which violates both state and federal laws. We must ensure all Nevada voters have their voices heard, and at All Voting is Local, we will continue to fight for fair access to the ballot box, and call out efforts that hinder citizen’s ability to cast their ballots freely and safely.”