Grantee Spotlight: Advance Native on the Growth of Indigenous Political Power

Photo: Advance Native Political Power

“As we prepare for the end of the year and the changing environment ahead, our vision for an equitable and just democracy is more critical and more urgent than we have experienced in our lifetimes. As the reality of this emerging new world comes into focus, we have many achievements to celebrate and hold on to as reminders that we are not defeated. This year, we helped more Native candidates run for office than ever before, and we see proof that building a strong foundation and infrastructure for future generations is not just necessary—it’s working. In the words of my grandfather and author, Simon J. Ortiz, the People shall continue.” 

– Anathea Chino, Co Founder & Executive Director of Advance Native

As a national organization, Advance Native has been an active political home for Native people, fostering a community that amplifies voices, strengthens political power, and champions rights and sovereignty. They build power through leadership recruitment and support, civic engagement, data and research, and national coordination. 

In such a busy organizing year, they not only hosted a growing cohort of emerging leaders but endorsed a record number of Native candidates with 53 running for federal, state, and local offices across 16 states, ranging from school board to Congress, reflecting the broad scope of Native leadership across the country.

Here’s a snapshot by the numbers from this past year: 246 Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian candidates ran for office across 25 states, with 60% winning their races and 86% of incumbents retaining their seats. 

• Among the 25 states where Native candidates ran, Arizona led with 46 candidates, followed by Hawaii with 30 and Alaska with 29. 

• Cisgender women comprised 55% of all Native candidates, while Two Spirit, non-binary, and transgender candidates represented 2%, and cisgender men made up 43%. Additionally, 7.3% of Native candidates identified as LGBTQ+. 

• Native women candidates had a high success rate, with 60% of Native women winning their race, which is consistent with past trends: in 2022, 59% of Native women who ran won their elections. This year, 42% of LGBTQ+ candidates were also victorious. 

• Voter turnout in 2024 was close to the record-breaking participation of 2020. Notably, seven states set new turnout records, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Oregon.

The team also hosted 60 community gatherings across the country and sent 2,500 personalized postcards to Native voters from Alaska to Arizona, encouraging the importance of their voices and participation in shaping our democracy. Even during this critical year, Advance Native noted that they saw landmark numbers up and down the ballot. 

You can learn more about Advance Native’s political impact here or on their website.