Join Western Native Voice in Helena for Lobbying Days! This two day event will give you the opportunity to view the legislative process up close. This includes tours of the Capitol Building, watching committee hearings from in the room, viewing floor sessions from the gallery, plus a rally in the historic rotunda.
We only have limited spots for this unique event, so sign up quickly to ensure your place!
Join Western Native Voice in Helena for our Lobbying Days. This two day event will allow you an up close experience in the legislative process. There will be opportunities to meet sitting legislators, tour the capitol building, watch committee hearings, observe floor sessions, and more! Join us today.
When: January 15, 2025 | Noon – 2 PM
Where: Keller Williams, 80 25th St West, Billings, MT
Join us for the Native American Communications Cohort Lunch & Learn session hosted by Western Native Voice!
Topic: Data-Driven Decision Making for Marketing
Learn how to:
Interpret data for Native audiences
Leverage analytics for informed decisions
Develop culturally relevant strategies
Bring your own lunch and your questions as we explore how data can help us create impactful campaigns and amplify Native voices!
Questions? Contact Tracie Garfield at (406) 869-1938.
MONTANA—While general elections often take center stage, the work of engaging Native communities in the political process is crucial year-round, not just during presidential election years. Western Native Voice is committed to ensuring that the momentum built during high-profile elections continues between presidential election years, focusing on the importance of ongoing voter registration and civic engagement. These efforts are essential to ensuring long-term political representation and influence in Montana.
In Montana, there are currently over 700,000 registered voters, with Native Americans making up a significant part of that electorate. Nationally, there are more than 200 million registered voters, but Native communities still face barriers to full political participation. It is important for everyone—especially young people—to stay informed and engaged, as every vote helps shape the future of our communities.
Voter registration, while often emphasized during election cycles, remains critical throughout the years leading up to the next presidential election. People move, change addresses, and become eligible to vote each year. Western Native Voice continues to provide outreach to ensure voters remain registered and informed. By maintaining up-to-date voter rolls, the organization helps ensure that Native communities remain politically engaged, regardless of the election year. Keeping voter registration current is a key element in sustaining robust political participation and fostering continued civic engagement.
However, voter registration is just the beginning. Western Native Voice recognizes that civic engagement must extend beyond Election Day. While many may focus on voting during presidential elections, political engagement should be an ongoing effort. The organization works year-round to ensure that Native voters are not only registered but also equipped to advocate for their communities. This includes staying informed about legislative changes, participating in local meetings, and engaging with lawmakers to address the issues that matter most—whether it’s healthcare, education, or tribal sovereignty.
Between presidential election years, Western Native Voice focuses on ensuring that Native voices continue to be heard in the political process. The organization provides resources to help individuals track legislative actions, update their voter information, and ensure they have access to the tools needed to participate fully in local, state, and national decision-making. These ongoing efforts help build a politically active and informed electorate that can push for change and hold elected officials accountable year after year.
For young people, now is the time to get involved. Whether it’s registering to vote, participating in local government meetings, or organizing in your community, there are many ways to contribute. You have the power to help shape the policies that will affect your future—whether it’s climate change, education reform, or healthcare access. Civic engagement doesn’t stop once the election results are in; it’s a continuous process that helps to shape policy, influence government decisions, and ensure that Native communities remain at the forefront of the political conversation.
Western Native Voice encourages Native community members to actively engage in advocacy efforts—whether through contacting their representatives, attending town hall meetings, or participating in discussions about legislative issues that affect their lives. This kind of ongoing involvement ensures that Native voices are not just heard during election years but are integral to shaping policies in between them.
As Western Native Voice looks toward the 2025 legislative session, the organization remains focused on empowering Native voters and strengthening their role in Montana’s political landscape. The work of civic engagement requires consistent, year-round effort, but it is an effort that brings lasting change. By ensuring that Native communities stay involved and informed, Western Native Voice helps create a powerful and unified presence that can influence the political direction of the state for years to come.
Through its ongoing focus on voter registration and civic engagement, Western Native Voice is ensuring that Native Americans continue to have a strong voice in Montana’s political decision-making—through presidential election years and beyond.
MONTANA—Native American youth represent a powerful force shaping the future of Native communities. With Native youth being the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S., making up over 20% of the Native population under 18, investing in their leadership is more urgent than ever. Programs like Expanding Horizons are central to this mission, ensuring these young leaders are ready to advocate for policies that resonate with their communities and secure their futures.
What’s Next: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunity
Native youth face many challenges, from education and healthcare access to tribal sovereignty and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis. However, the potential for transformation is immense. Empowering Native youth with leadership tools allows them to not only transform their futures but also change the trajectory of their communities. Programs like Expanding Horizons provide the necessary platform to develop the next generation of Native leaders.
Impact: Preparing the Leaders of Tomorrow
Through initiatives such as the Youth Summer Academy, Western Native Voice is helping Native students across Montana develop leadership, civic engagement, and advocacy skills. The academy is an immersive experience that combines academic rigor with cultural and political education. Students gain lessons in leadership, writing, and public speaking, alongside experiences that connect them to their heritage, like visiting Yellowstone National Park. This holistic approach ensures students are ready to navigate the modern political landscape while staying connected to their roots.
The Investment: Building Stronger Communities
The success of Expanding Horizons extends beyond summer programs. Through the Youth Board, students contribute to shaping the organization’s year-round mission, offering guidance on outreach, policy advocacy, and public campaigns. This hands-on involvement empowers youth to make impactful decisions while gaining real-world leadership experience.
Today’s young leaders are already influencing policies at local, state, and national levels, proving that Native youth are not only the future—they are a crucial part of the present.
The Future: Leadership for a Stronger Tomorrow
Investing in Native youth is an investment in the long-term health of tribal nations. These young leaders will take the reins of advocating for policies around healthcare, justice, and education—issues often overlooked in broader political discourse. Their efforts will ensure Native communities are not only represented but are actively shaping the decisions that impact them.
Final Thoughts: Securing the Future of Native Communities
Through Expanding Horizons, Western Native Voice is positioning Native youth to lead with strength, advocating for justice, preserving cultural heritage, and strengthening the sovereignty of Native nations. The future of Native communities depends on the continued empowerment of these youth leaders, ensuring that their communities remain politically and culturally strong for generations to come.
MONTANA—As the state prepares for the 2025 legislative session, attention is turning to the key issues that will affect Native communities across the state. Advocacy groups, including Western Native Voice, are already laying the groundwork to ensure that Native American voices are heard and that the legislative process remains accessible to all Native people.
At Western Native Voice, the organization’s four key programs—education, civic engagement, leadership development, and public advocacy—are essential to advocating for Native communities and ensuring the legislature addresses their needs. Education provides communities with the tools to navigate the legislative process, while civic engagement encourages participation beyond Election Day. These efforts help make the legislative process more accessible and transparent to Native people.
Through programs like the Youth Summer Academy, leadership development trains the next generation of Native leaders to advocate for their communities. Public advocacy ensures that Native communities remain at the forefront of critical issues, including healthcare, Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), reproductive health, and tribal sovereignty.
Western Native Voice recently surveyed its members to determine the top priorities heading into the 2025 legislative session. The results revealed strong support for several key issues, including justice system reform. Seventy percent of respondents support automatic voter registration, and 87% favor same-day voter registration. The survey also revealed widespread concern about the justice system, with many viewing it as unfair. The top three issues identified by members were healthcare, MMIP, and reproductive health.
A Western Native Voice staffer commented, “Our members are demanding action on issues that directly impact Native communities. From healthcare to the justice system, these concerns cannot be ignored. It’s crucial that we hold our elected representatives accountable and ensure they are working for the betterment of Native people, not just during election time but throughout their terms in office.”
The 2025 legislative session provides an opportunity for lawmakers to address these pressing issues. Western Native Voice is committed to ensuring that Native communities are not only represented but that their voices are heard in a way that leads to real, substantive change. By engaging with lawmakers and holding them accountable, Western Native Voice will continue to advocate for policies that promote healthcare access, address the MMIP crisis, improve reproductive health, and protect tribal sovereignty.
A key issue that continues to demand attention is Medicaid expansion and its importance to Native communities and healthcare facilities, which rely on Medicaid funding to operate. Expanding Medicaid would provide much-needed support to healthcare providers who serve Native populations, ensuring access to vital services that are critical for the health and well-being of Native individuals and families.
As Montana’s Native communities move forward in advocating for fair representation and equitable policies, Western Native Voice remains committed to making the state legislature a place where Native voices are not just heard but are influential in shaping the future of the state.
One way to become involved in the upcoming legislative session is by answering calls to action. You can start by attending meetings, testifying at hearings, or emailing your representatives to express your concerns and priorities. Every voice matters, and by staying engaged, Native communities can ensure that their issues are front and center as lawmakers make critical decisions.
The 2024 election saw 10 new Native American representatives elected to Montana’s state House and Senate, including Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, Sen. Jacinda Morigeau, Rep. Thedis Crowe, Rep. Tyson Running Wolf, Rep. Frank Smith, Rep. Mike Fox, Rep. Jade Sooktis, Rep. Shelly Fyant, Rep. Donavon Hawk, and Rep. Sidney Fitzpatrick. They will join Senator Susan Webber and Senator Shane Morigeau, bringing the total number of Native American representatives to 12. While this marks a significant step forward, it also highlights the need to hold these leaders accountable to their communities.
BILLINGS, Mont.—Western Native Voice, a Montana-based nonprofit, has spent 2024 empowering Native communities through its four key programs: Civic Engagement, Civic Education, Leadership Development, and Advocacy. These programs work in unison to strengthen Native communities, amplifying voices and creating pathways for sustainable change.
Civic Engagement remains at the core of Western Native Voice’s mission. In 2024, the organization’s dedicated team traveled across Montana to host events, meetings, and gatherings aimed at empowering voters and highlighting the importance of participating in elections.
The team organized 14 Community Bingos and Voter Outreach Events, creating a familiar and friendly environment to encourage voter participation and registration. The highly successful Snag Dat Vote tour brought the organization to nine Montana communities in just two months, using a mix of ground game strategies, community meetings, and collaborations with Native influencers to emphasize the power of every vote.
Additionally, Western Native Voice held five volunteer trainings, ensuring community members were equipped to support voter outreach efforts in their areas. These actions directly contributed to increased voter engagement and a stronger sense of civic responsibility across Native communities.
Through Civic Education, Western Native Voice ensures that Native voters are informed and prepared to engage in the democratic process. This year, the organization’s efforts included workshops and outreach events designed to break down barriers to voting and explain how local and national policies impact Native communities.
Membership drives also played a vital role in educating community members about the value of civic participation. The team held 24 Membership Events/Drives throughout 2024, reconnecting with communities to build voter awareness and adding 1,120 new members to the organization. A newly established Membership Committee, composed of 15 representatives from Montana’s reservations and urban areas, brought local perspectives and solutions to the forefront. These committee members were equipped with resources and training to amplify civic engagement efforts in their communities.
Leadership Development is a key component of Western Native Voice’s mission. In 2024, the organization expanded programs aimed at equipping young people and adults with leadership skills to address issues affecting their communities. Programs like Expanding Horizons provided participants with opportunities to engage in workshops on public speaking, advocacy, and community organizing.
By fostering relationships with Native leaders and local organizers, Western Native Voice has created mentorship opportunities that connect generations. These efforts ensure that Native communities will have strong advocates prepared to lead in governance, advocacy, and community-building.
Advocacy remains at the heart of Western Native Voice’s work. This year, the organization focused on critical issues like protecting voting rights, increasing access to healthcare, and addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Working alongside local and national partners, Western Native Voice has amplified Native perspectives on policies that affect their communities.
At the grassroots level, the organization has supported community-led advocacy efforts, encouraging individuals to speak out on issues that matter most to them. This has included working with elders, youth, and community councils to ensure that the needs of Native communities are represented in decision-making spaces.
Western Native Voice’s approach is unique because its programs are interconnected, creating a holistic strategy for community empowerment. For example, voter registration efforts (Civic Engagement) often include workshops to educate participants about ballot measures (Civic Education), while leadership training prepares community members to take on advocacy roles.
The organization’s work this year highlights the power of these combined efforts. By providing tools, education, and leadership opportunities, Western Native Voice ensures that Native communities have the resources to thrive politically, socially, and culturally. Through these programs, the organization continues to strengthen Native voices and create a legacy of empowerment for generations to come.
KLAMATH, Calif. — Native organizations from across the country, including Western Native Voice, gathered in Klamath, California, for the annual National Native Grassroots Democracy Project meeting. The event provided an opportunity to strategize, share tools, and strengthen efforts to amplify Native voices in democratic spaces. It also served as a debriefing session, allowing participants to reflect on the successes and challenges of the recent election cycle.
The meeting brought together a coalition of grassroots organizations dedicated to Native advocacy, including Native Vote South Dakota, Get Out the Native Vote (Alaska), North Dakota Native Vote, Indigenous Idaho Alliance, New Mexico Native Vote, Arizona Native Vote, and Western Native Voice.
The meeting was organized into three working groups—urban, rural, and youth—to address the unique challenges and opportunities facing different segments of Native communities.
In the urban group, participants discussed the growing need for outreach in metropolitan areas, where Native populations are often overlooked. Issues such as housing instability, lack of representation in local government, and the difficulties of maintaining cultural identity in urban settings were central topics. Strategies focused on connecting with Native populations through urban community centers, Native-focused events, and partnerships with schools and social service organizations. The group also highlighted the importance of addressing misinformation about voter rights and increasing access to voter registration through trusted community spaces.
The rural group focused on the barriers faced by reservation and rural Native communities, including geographic isolation, lack of transportation to polling locations, and limited access to reliable information about elections. Participants shared successful strategies, such as using trusted local messengers to deliver voter education materials, organizing rides to the polls, and leveraging community events to increase turnout. A recurring theme was the importance of ensuring that rural communities feel their votes matter, despite often being in areas where they are a small percentage of the overall electorate.
The youth group brought a forward-looking perspective, emphasizing the need to engage younger generations in civic life. Discussions centered on the challenges of youth disengagement, particularly among those who feel disconnected from political systems or are unaware of how voting impacts their communities. Participants explored ways to make voter outreach more engaging for young people, including using social media campaigns, hosting events focused on youth leadership, and incorporating civic education into cultural programming. The group also stressed the importance of mentoring programs to help young people see themselves as future leaders and advocates for their communities.
Beyond the breakout groups, the meeting served as a debriefing space to analyze the successes and challenges of the recent election cycle. Many organizations reported increased voter turnout in their communities but noted persistent barriers, such as voter ID laws, limited polling locations, and language accessibility issues.
Participants shared stories of innovative solutions, like mobile voter education campaigns and culturally tailored outreach events, that helped overcome these barriers. The discussions also highlighted how key issues like climate change, tribal sovereignty, and healthcare access motivated many Native voters to participate in the election.
The gathering underscored the importance of collective action to address these diverse challenges. By dividing into focus groups, participants were able to dig deeper into the unique needs of their communities while identifying shared goals that connect urban, rural, and youth populations.
Held in Klamath, a region with deep cultural and historical ties, the meeting reinforced the connection between grassroots advocacy and protecting Native traditions and sovereignty. Participants left with actionable plans and a renewed commitment to amplifying Native voices in shaping democratic processes.
The National Native Grassroots Democracy Project meeting remains a cornerstone for fostering collaboration and alignment among Native organizations. By addressing specific community needs and working collectively, attendees aim to strengthen the movement for Native representation and participation in civic life.
“This work isn’t easy,” one attendee remarked, “but by focusing on what makes each community unique while standing together, we can create lasting change.”
MONTANA—Native communities around Montana turned out in significant numbers for the 2024 election, driven by years of dedicated grassroots efforts from organizations like Western Native Voice. While voter turnout showed promising gains, challenges persist, and there is much work to be done to sustain and build upon this progress.
This year’s voter turnout in Montana reached 68.09%, a notable increase from 61% in 2016 and slightly higher than the 66% achieved in 2020 during an all-mail ballot election. Reservation precincts showed particularly strong participation, with absentee ballot returns exceeding 75%. These numbers reflect the commitment of Western Native Voice to engaging communities, even in the face of systemic barriers.
However, despite these achievements, significant gaps remain. While some areas saw increased participation, others faced setbacks, underscoring the need for continued efforts to address obstacles and engage more voters. Western Native Voice recognizes that meaningful progress requires ongoing dedication to both immediate electoral needs and the broader work of empowerment.
Western Native Voice operates year-round to build lasting change, focusing on education, leadership development, civic engagement, and public policy advocacy. These efforts aim to strengthen the foundation of Native political power, creating pathways for community members to actively shape decisions at the state and national levels.
Through initiatives like voter registration drives, leadership workshops, and community education, the organization fosters a deeper understanding of the democratic process. These programs not only help mobilize voters during elections but also cultivate a stronger sense of civic responsibility and leadership within Native communities.
One significant outcome of the 2024 election was the election of 10 Native leaders to the Montana legislature: Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, Sen. Jacinda Morigeau, Rep. Thedis Crowe, Rep. Tyson Running Wolf, Rep. Frank Smith, Rep. Mike Fox, Rep. Jade Sooktis, Rep. Shelly Fyant, Rep. Donavon Hawk, and Rep. Sidney Fitzpatrick. This milestone represents meaningful progress, but it is also a reminder of the ongoing need for greater representation and equity in government.
The success of these legislators highlights the importance of advocacy organizations in cultivating a pipeline of Native leaders. By supporting candidates and engaging communities, Western Native Voice is helping to ensure that Native perspectives are represented in decision-making spaces.
The 2024 election has provided valuable insights into the successes and challenges of mobilizing Native voters. While the increased turnout is encouraging, the uneven results across communities signal a need for continued investment in outreach, education, and barrier reduction.
Western Native Voice is committed to using these lessons to refine its strategies and strengthen its impact. By focusing on long-term goals alongside immediate electoral outcomes, the organization is working to ensure that Native voices are not only heard during elections but also hold enduring influence in shaping the future.
For Montana’s Native communities, the work continues. The progress seen in 2024 is a foundation to build upon, driven by a collective determination to create a more inclusive and equitable democratic process.
Need a ride to vote? Call 406-869-1938!
Western Native Voice’s trusted organizers are ready to give you a ride to the polls or will safely deliver your ballot to the election office!
Be a super voter! Let’s get the Native Vote out this election. Our voices matter!
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