Arizona Native Vote

Voter Programs

Voter Registration

Arizona Native Vote’s registration program includes in-person and online help. Its website provides a link to the Arizona Secretary of State website which allows individuals to check their voter statuses. The in-person programs consist of face-to-face interactions that allow voters to ask questions directly to Arizona Native Vote staff and volunteers to make sure all voting information is correct and up to date. ¹

Voter Education

Arizona Native Vote’s voter education program includes an in-person class for 8^th through 12^th graders and phone calls, emails, and presentations with organization staff and volunteers for adults. Education topics include the voter registration process, the organization’s perspective on political candidates, and “important dates and deadlines, polling locations, county election offices, Secretary of State elections, and tribal elections.” ¹

Voter Outreach

Arizona Native Vote’s outreach program consists of “tabling at flea markets and other public spaces…canvassing, utilizing tribal media, [and] digital organizing.” ¹ The program provides information such as the election process, the voter registration process, and how to contact state officials, state election offices, and tribal election offices. ¹

Other Programs

Community Programs

Arizona Native Vote’s community program involves local individuals in a federal policy education campaign, a language translation program, mutual aid programs, and its firekeepers initiative. The firekeepers initiative works to help maintain native tribal archives and education on tribal culture. ³

Young People Program (YPP)

Arizona Native Vote’s young people program provides an Indigenous democracy class for 8^th through 12^th graders and a high school and college fellowship program for Indigenous students. ³

Volunteer Program

Arizona Native Vote’s volunteer program aims to attract volunteers to help the organization and increase turnout among Indigenous voters. This program includes ballot curing (correcting minor errors), increasing early voting, and “carry out community service projects and initiatives that strengthen and support local women and families.” ³

Staff

Jaynie Parrish is the founder and executive director of Arizona Native Vote. She states the purpose of the organization is “to build political power in rural and tribal communities.” ⁴ Parrish has worked with multiple left-wing organizations including EMILY’s List, Rock the Vote, and the Navajo County Democrats. Parrish attended Arizona State University where she worked to increase Indigenous enrollment, Indigenous graduation rates, and the hiring of Indigenous staff members. ⁴

Casey Lee is a board member of Arizona Native Vote. ⁵ He is a long-time member of the Northeast Arizona Native Vote Democrats and has been working with ActBlue since 2020 to help influence Native voters. ⁶ He also started the Dems Give Back program in Arizona which gives food and gift cards to Native groups in exchange for engaging with voter registration, precinct committee recruitment, and left-wing policy education programs. ⁷