Native American Voting Rights Act of 2015

Native American Voting Rights Act of 2015

This bill prohibits states and local governments from:

• eliminating the only polling place or voter registration site on an Indian reservation;
• moving or consolidating a polling place or voter registration site located on an Indian reservation to a location one mile or further from the existing one;
• moving or consolidating a polling place on an Indian reservation to a location across a natural boundary if that makes travel difficult for a voter, regardless of distance;
• eliminating in-person voting on an Indian reservation by designating an Indian reservation as a permanent absentee voting location, unless the entire state is or becomes a permanent absentee voting state or the Indian tribe requests such a designation;
• removing an early voting location or otherwise diminishing early voting opportunities on an Indian reservation; or
• decreasing the number of days or hours that an in-person or early voting location is open on an Indian reservation or changing the dates of in-person or early voting on an Indian reservation.

Requirements for exceptions to such prohibitions are prescribed.

Each of the states whose territory contains all or part of an Indian reservation shall designate, for each Indian tribe of each Indian reservation, an officer within that state responsible for compliance with this Act.

Any state whose territory contains all or part of an Indian reservation shall provide one or more polling places for each Indian tribe satisfying certain obligations.

In states that provide for early voting a state or local election official shall provide upon request at least one early voting location on an Indian reservation.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is amended to require the Office of Personnel Management to assign an appropriate number of observers whenever the Attorney General receives a written complaint from an Indian tribe that efforts to deny or abridge the right to vote under the color of law on account of race or color, or in contravention of specified guarantees, are likely to occur.