Volunteer observers are heading to South Dakota polling places to help protect Native voting rights.

The advocacy group Four Directions Native Vote-Indian Country is sending at least 75 lawyers and law students to more than 40 polling locations statewide. The nonpartisan effort will cover all nine of the state's reservations and Rapid City, which has a large Lakota population.

Greg Lembrich, legal director of the nonprofit, said the effort comes at a key moment.

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"In a midterm, we're going to have our largest group ever really speak to the recognition around the country and in South Dakota of how under threat democracy is, particularly for minorities and some of our nation's most vulnerable residents," Lembrich explained.

Lembrich noted the legal observers will focus on South Dakota's new law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote. He is also concerned about interference from FBI or ICE agents and said the volunteers are trained on what to do if something happens.

The Native American Rights Fund is sending more than 300 volunteers to six additional states with large numbers of Native Americans, including North Dakota, Nevada and New Mexico.

Samantha Blencke, senior staff attorney for the fund, said ensuring Native voters can vote is always important in Indian Country and legal assistance at the polls matters. She pointed out in 2024, numerous voters in Lyman and Buffalo counties in South Dakota believed they registered to vote, only to learn at the polls county auditors never received their registrations.

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She stressed Native voters face many barriers, including long distances to election offices, requiring a physical address to register to vote and reducing the number of polling places.

"If someone's told, 'Hey, just go back home and get the right document and come back,' that could be a three-hour drive. So it's really important to have assistance on the spot. And of course, our immediate goal is to make sure that voters can exercise their rights during the election," Blencke emphasized.

Lembrich stressed South Dakota has been at the forefront of equal voting rights for Native Americans for decades, with state laws and procedures discouraging Native Americans from voting. He acknowledged the Native vote may not change the course of races for governor or Congress but it can have a huge effect at the local level.

"That's really where so much of government happens, and the fact that tribal members are serving in those roles and able to elect people to those roles who are going to work on their issues and listen to their voices is really critical," Lembrich underscored.

Voters can report voting issues by calling 866-OUR-VOTE. Blencke added if callers identify themselves as a Native voter, they will be connected to legal help from the fund.