RV Is Considered Temporary Housing

Some Native voters permanently live in Recreational Vehicles (RVs). However, election officials frequently treat the RVs as mobile vehicles that cannot be used for establishing an address. In northern California, many members of the Karuk Tribe and other tribes in the area reside in RVs or tents in one of the two national forests because of the lack of housing. RVs are considered temporary housing, even if people live in them for years. That makes it difficult for them to register to vote because they lack permanent addresses and have to use post office boxes located in another community, such as Yreka. They have not been able to determine to how these tribal members can participate in local elections. Tribal members are afraid that if they try to register to vote, they will be accused of voter fraud, as many members of the Hmong community were in Siskiyou County.

The Comprehensive Field Hearing Report On Historical and Contemporary Barriers to Political Participation by Native American Voters. Boulder, CO: Native American Rights Fund, February 2020.