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A billboard encouraging voter participation sponsored by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation’s intensive campaign to get out the vote in northeastern Oklahoma had an impact on many races in the state.

“We registered more than 9,000 new voters and sent voters’ guides to more than 40,000 households in northeastern Oklahoma,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “I know other tribes conducted similar campaigns aimed at getting out the vote and I think the Indian vote made a difference in close elections across the state.”

Counties with large Indian populations reported higher than usual voter turnout this election. “Our effort was focused on education,” Smith said. “We let the candidates define themselves on Indian issues and gave them an audience for their Indian platform. We then emphasized the importance of having elected officials that understand and respect the value that Indians bring to Oklahoma.”

Smith noted that only one state-wide candidate refused to participate in the Cherokee Nation’s voter’s guide, Republican Attorney General candidate Denise Bode. Bode actively opposed an important Indian land reform bill in the U.S. Congress and lost by a wide margin to incumbent Drew Edmondson.

“The message is you can’t ignore the Indian vote in Oklahoma,” Smith said. “There are more than 390,000 Indians in this state. Our voices were heard yesterday at the polls, and will grow louder in coming elections.”

The Cherokee Nation “Get Out the Vote” drive included t-shirts, candidate forums and billboards. In combination with the Cherokee voters’ guide, the effort created a lot of interest in Cherokees who might not have been inclined to vote.

“My mom loved the voters’ guide,” said Paula Hamby, a tribal member from Tahlequah. “She hadn’t voted in more than forty years, but when the voters’ guide came in the mail she got really interested and made sure she went to vote.”

The Cherokee Nation’s voter participation effort can be credited with helping Brad Henry win the governor’s race in Oklahoma. Henry won a large percentage of votes in counties that had a high Indian voter turnout.

“In a race decided by fewer than 7,000 votes, it’s obvious that the 9,000 new Cherokee voters had an impact on the governor’s race,” Smith said. “Turnout was very high in densely populated Cherokee counties like Adair, Sequoyah and Cherokee county. We were pleased to hear from precincts in Rogers and Mayes counties that the Cherokee voter turnout was high in those areas as well.”

“It’s apparent that Brad Henry’s message of respect and cooperation resonated with our Cherokee voters,” said Melissa Gower, who helped organize the Cherokee Nation’s efforts.

Cherokee voter turnout also helped re-elect Congressman Brad Carson (D-Claremore), who is a Cherokee Nation tribal member.

“We are pleased that a Cherokee will represent Oklahoma’s Second Congressional District,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “If you look at a map, the new second district includes the Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, three of the biggest tribes in the United States. Carson has been an advocate for Indian issues in Congress and we anticipate that he will be attentive to his entire constituency in his upcoming term.”

The Cherokee Nation did not endorse any candidate in this year’s elections, but worked hard to educate voters on each candidate’s position on Indian issues.