"I am a native Kansan, as well as a member of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, one of the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. As a tribal citizen, I am required to document proof of my citizenship and to possess an identification card. My tribe requires that we show this document to attend tribal general council meetings, to vote in elections, to serve on council and to have access to tribal resources.

Though there may be some ambivalence among tribal people about this requirement, I think most would agree identification cards have become a necessary and common-sense measure to protect our resources, as well as the integrity of our elections and councils.

Without this protective measure, it would be difficult to have trust in the political process, especially in close or disputed elections. Without this protective measure in place, our entire political process would diminish into a free-for-all, effectively resulting in "the stealing of voice" by those who would fraudulently claim tribal citizenship."

Get the Story:
Lorraine Jessepe: Identify voters (The Topeka Capital-Journal 10/26)