Yesterday was Election Day in the United States, and several key races – including the Presidential Election – remain too close to call this morning. However, Indian Country Today reports that six out of the thirteen Native candidates running for the House of Representatives won their races, meaning the next House of Representatives will have a record number of Native members. Representatives Deb Haaland, Sharice Davids, Tom Cole, and Markwayne Mullin retained their seats, while Yvette Herrell in New Mexico and Kaiali’i Kahele in Hawai’i won their races as well.
Meanwhile, dozens of Native candidates were on the ballot in state and local elections across the country. Indian Country Today covers most of the candidates here, who include Christina Haswood (Diné), who is expected to become Kansas’ youngest sitting legislator, Ponka-We Victors (Tohono O’odham and Ponca) who was the first Native woman elected to the Kansas State Legislature a decade ago, while Debra Lekanoff (Tlingit) ran unopposed and will serve a second term in the Washington State House of Representatives as the only Native American to serve in the State Legislature this session.
The Rapid City, South Dakota City Council delayed a vote on a resolution for a land swap that would grant the city’s Lakota community some benefit from the 1,200 acres of former Rapid City Indian Boarding School land. The resolution calls on the city to follow the BIA’s direction to find a “creative solution” that would not disrupt the businesses operating on the properties in question. The resolution presents the idea of creating an urban Indian Center and a for-profit Community Development Corporation.
The Lummi Nation Health Department has submitted an application to participate in a Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial, the first step in a three part process to determine if the tribe will enroll in the trial. Earlier this month, the Lummi Nation withdrew from the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial, citing communication problems with AstraZeneca representatives.
Keep reading for a full news update.
2020 Elections:
US House Candidates Make History
Indian Country Today, Dalton Walker, November 4
Native congressional candidates have once again made history this Election Day.
Native Candidates Light Up State, Local Ballots
Indian Country Today, November 4
While 14 Native candidates were running for U.S. House and Senate in Tuesday’s elections, dozens more were looking to make their mark at the state and local level.
Minneapolis’s American Indian Community Boards Up Ahead Of Election Day Results
Native News Online, November 3
Some businesses around the United States put up plywood to protect their assets in advance of Election Day. They fear the possibility of violence, similar to the rioting and looting that took place across the country in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in late May.
Haaland, Leger Fernandez Win New Mexico House Seats
AP News, Susan Montoya Bryan, November 3
In the district that includes Albuquerque, Democratic U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland defeated former police detective Michelle Garcia Holmes to hold onto her 1st District seat. Haaland is former chairwoman of the state Democratic Party. She is also a member of Laguna Pueblo and won an open race in 2018 to become one of the first Native American women in Congress.
Paulette Jordan, Coeur D’alene, Loses Senate Bid
Indian Country Today, Kolby Kickingwoman, November 3
Paulette Jordan, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, has lost her bid to become the first Native woman elected to the U.S. Senate. She faced an uphill battle as she challenged Republican incumbent Senator Jim Risch in historically conservative Idaho.
Native Candidates Light Up State, Local Ballots
Indian Country Today, November 3
While 14 Native candidates are running for U.S. House and Senate in Tuesday’s elections, dozens more are looking to make their mark at the state and local level. They include notable candidates for statewide office, legislatures and courts.
COVID-19:
Lummi Nation Explores Participation In Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Trial
Native News Online, November 3
The Lummi Public Health Department has submitted an application to participate in a Novavax Covid-19 vaccine trial, a move that is the first step in determining whether the tribe will enroll in the trial. Earlier this month, the tribe withdrew from the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine trial, with Lummi Public Health citing communication problems with AstraZeneca representatives following a pause in the study due to adverse reactions experienced by trial participants in the United Kingdom.
Other:
South Dakota City Puts Off Vote In Land Dispute
Indian Country Today, Stewart Huntington, November 3
The Rapid City, S.D., City Council on Monday night put off a vote on a plan for a land swap that would address questionable deeds on three Rapid City properties — and grant to the city’s Lakota community some benefit from 1,200 acres of Rapid City Indian Boarding School land that leaders and grandmothers have been demanding for decades.
Boeing Invests Funds To Support Indigenous Communities; Marc Allen, Kathleen Jolivette Quoted
Boeing has recently committed $1.3 million to support Indigenous communities across the nation. The company has donated $300 thousand to clean water, education and natural disaster response; $140 thousand to the Pacific Northwest; and $60 thousand to support Oklahoma STEM education programs for students. An additional $840 thousand will fund future projects for Native American and Indigenous communities.
Chicago NGL team plan more initiatives to honor Native Americans
FOX News, Ryan Gaydos, November 3
Chicago’s National Hockey League team said in a statement Monday the organization would try to find new ways to support the Native American community and one of the commitments the team announced was to read the Indigenous Land Acknowledgement before games during the 2020-21 season. Additionally, Chicago said it has started to implement more Native American initiatives “centered on education, contemporary art, athletics, and Indigenous food systems” and will continue to do so throughout the upcoming season and beyond.