A new voter ID requirement “isn’t about making our elections safer. It’s about making sure fewer of us can vote.” (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Imagine driving hours to cast your vote , eager to make your voice heard, only to be told, “Sorry, you can’t vote today—you don’t have the right kind of ID.” It’s like showing up to a wedding in another state, buying an expensive, thoughtful gift, only to be told, “You were invited to the ceremony, but not the reception.” You’re left standing there, confused, frustrated, and wondering why you’re not allowed to participate.
That’s exactly what will happen to Indigenous, Black, and Brown Nevadans if Question 7 —the voter ID initiative on the ballot this November—advances. Don’t be fooled by the proponents’ claims of “election integrity.” This initiative isn’t about making our elections safer. It’s about making sure fewer of us can vote. It’s about putting up barriers to silence marginalized communities at the ballot box.
I know the importance of identity. I can trace my lineage back generations. I know the names and stories of my ancestors who canoed from Polynesia to Hawai’i almost a thousand years ago . I was named after my great-great-grandmother, who got her name from her great-grandmother. My identity is tied to the land and sea; my connection to my heritage runs deep. But none of that will matter if Question 7 passes.