AIRC Update: Cooperation among Tribal Nations could lead to a ‘coalition’ VRA District

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I have had casual conversations with people who know other people in positions of power over the past year about the idea that the Tribal Nations could form a coalition majority-minority district if the Tribal Nations could just cooperate and work together. (In the past there have been various legal disputes and competition among Tribal Nations that has prevented such cooperation). This appears to finally be happening.

I was pleased to see that the Navajo and Hopi Nations made a presentation to the AIRC on Thursday that laid out their desire for a majority-minority district made up of a coalition of Tribal Nations to allow them the opportunity to elect a Native American to Congress for the first time in the history of Arizona, something long overdue. Navajos seek tribal-dominated district in Arizona:

The Navajo Nation is promoting plans that would wrap seven or eight tribal reservations into one congressional district, boosting the chances of sending a Native American to Congress.

"The advantage is to have a Native American elected from Arizona – for the first time – in Congress," said Leonard Gorman, executive director of the Navajo Nation's Human Rights Commission.

Gorman presented two potential congressional maps to the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission at a joint meeting Thursday with the Arizona Inter Tribal Council. In a departure from the current situation, the Navajo and Hopi tribes told the commissioners they would like to be in the same congressional district. The district also would include other tribes in the state's eastern half.

"We will feel very comfortable with that type of configuration," Hopi Tribal Chairman Leroy Shingoitewa said.

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The Navajo Nation plan would encompass the Navajo, Hopi, San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, Hualapai and Havasupai tribes, with one version extending all the way to the Mexican border to encompass the Tohono O'odham Nation. An alternative would leave out the Tohono O'odham and fold in the Gila River and Ak-Chin Indian communities.

The plan also calls for a new state legislative district with a Native American population of 66.5 percent. Gorman challenged the commission to produce a map that would surpass that figure.

The state's current Legislative District 2 has a 64 percent Native American population.

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) adds Hopi chairman says same district with Navajos OK:

The chairman of the Hopi Tribe says it makes sense to place its reservation in the same congressional and legislative districts as the larger Navajo Reservation that surrounds it.

Hopi Chairman LeRoy Shingoitewa (Seen-GOY’-tee-wah) voiced that position during a Thursday meeting of the state redistricting commission in Phoenix.

Shingoitewa told the commission that a congressional district with the Navajo and Hopi reservations in northeastern Arizona also should include the White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Apace reservations in eastern Arizona.

Shingoitewa later told reporters that putting the four reservations in one congressional district would give them added clout collectively.

This is a major advancement for the Tribal Nations. Arizona currently has two Hispanic majority-minority districts under the Voting Rights Act. This coalition of Tribal Nations would create a third Voting Rights Act congressional district for Native Americans. It could also create at least one more state legislative district in addition to the current legislative district 2.