Roxanna Foster registers voters during National Voter Registration Day in Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference’s Rock the Native Vote effort had two priorities: to make sure people were counted in the U.S. census and to register Oklahomans to vote in the 2020 elections.
Through a grant from the National Urban Indian Family Coalition in Seattle, Rock the Native Vote worked in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Most of the work has been centered on social media due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but workers have been able to host some outdoor events.
Roxanna Foster, coordinator of the Rock the Native Vote said that 324 registration forms were collected in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. After each event, the forms were hand delivered to the the county election board.
Among the events, Rock the Native Vote partnered with Voto Latino, a student led Hispanic/Latino organization, to take part in National Voter Registation Day on Sept. 22 at Wheeler Park in Oklahoma City.
The Rev. David Wilson holds a proclamation by Mayor David Holt declaring Sept. 22 as National Voter Registration Day.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt issued a proclamation recognizing the day. In addition, the OKC Thunder participated in the event.
“Our folks in Oklahoma City and Tulsa have done a remarkable job to get the word out about 2020 census and voter registration,” said the Rev. Wilson, director of Rock the Native Vote.
“We have done our best to help people understand that our voices need to be heard and to be counted.”
The Rev. Wilson says Native Americans were the most undercounted population in the country during the last census. He says for each person who isn’t counted in the census, their community loses thousands of dollars every year for services such as health care, education, infrastructure and housing assistance.
“This is important for our tribal communities and urban areas around Indian Country, and we needed to make sure we are included,” said Wilson.
The census ended on October 15, 2020.
The deadline to register to vote in Okahoma was Oct. 9. Rock the Native Vote is now moving forward with events to help people prepare to vote.
On Oct. 24th, Rock the Native Vote is hosting a “Meet the Candidates” event from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Angie Smith United Methodist Church located at 601 Southwest Grand Boulevard in Oklahoma City.
The NACF is one of three Advance Specials within OIMC. It provides clothing grants for Native American children who meet income guidelines; it also supports graduating seniors; and local churches are able to use the NACF to purchase Vacation Bible School supplies.
