The US Supreme Court’s refusal to overturn a North Dakota voter ID law will have no impact for South Dakota tribal members.

That’s according to Bret Healy, a non-native consultant from Chamberlain for Four Directions.

Last week, the Supreme Court declined to overturn a North Dakota voter ID law that requires residents to show identification with a street address. Post Office boxes don’t count.

However, many reservations don’t use physical street addresses.

Healy says South Dakota has an affidavit process, if a voter is unable to present a form of identification.

“South Dakota has a fail safe in terms of the affidavit being able to be signed in lieu of a photo ID, etc,” Healy says. “There’s not the same harsh restrictions, if you will, and a big change to the system, like what the North Dakota legislature imposed.”  

Healy says South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs has been incredibly fair minded and proactive when it comes to Native American voting.

He says Krebs was instrumental in helping set up satellite voting offices across tribal communities.