Loga sámegillii. Thor-Henrik Hansen from Børselv in Finnmark wanted to join the Sami Parliament’s electoral roll just before Easter this year. But shortly afterwards he was informed that the application had been rejected. – The way I see it, I guess I’m not the same enough. What was stated in the refusal was that I had to be able to document my great-grandmother’s home language. But it is very difficult to document her home language. But I suppose it was Sami, says Hansen. Thor-Henrik Hansen had his application for registration in the Sami Parliament’s electoral roll rejected. Photo: Skjermdump Hansen is one of several who have recently received the same answer when they have asked to be included in the Sami Parliament’s electoral roll. The Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll is a register of people who have the right to vote in the Sámi Parliament elections. In order to be able to register in the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll, one must perceive oneself as Sámi. In addition, at least one great-grandparent must have had Sami as their home language. The Sami Parliament’s electoral roll The Sami Parliament’s electoral roll is the Sami Parliament’s official register of voters who have the right to vote or stand for election to the Sami Parliament in Norway, authorized by the Sami Act. The register was called the “Sámi population” in the period from 1989 until it was changed by a change in the law in 2008. Everyone who makes a declaration that they perceive themselves as Sámi, and who either a) has Sámi as their home language, or b) has or had a parent , grandparent or great-grandparent with Sami as their home language, or c) is the child of a person who is or has been in the electoral roll can claim to be included in the electoral roll. All Sámi from Norway who are over 18 or turn 18 in the election year have the right to register in the electoral roll. Sami who are citizens of other Nordic countries can register in the electoral roll if, on 30 June of the election year, they are entered in the population register as residing in Norway. Sami who are not from a Nordic country can register in the electoral roll if they have been entered in the population register as resident in Norway in the last three years before election day. Source: The Sámi Parliament Enrollment in the electoral roll has been based on trust, and the Sámi Parliament has had limited control over the information provided by applicants. The applicant must document himself Now, however, the Sámi Parliament has tightened controls. This is confirmed by plenary leader Tom Sottinen, who is responsible for the number of electors. Plenary leader Tom Sottinen. Photo: Dragan Cubrilo / news On the basis of the historic number of petitions that are now coming in, as well as news’s reports on people who have deliberately given incorrect information, the Sami Parliament has strengthened its control and guidance function, says Sottinen. – It is important that we have the right number of voters. The new changes mean that those who wish to be included in the electoral roll can themselves submit the necessary documentation that they meet the criteria, at the same time as submitting the form, says Sottinen. The largest opposition party in the Sami Parliament, Nordkalottfolket, reacts strongly to this. They believe that it has now been made so difficult to register with the electoral roll that it has in practice been closed to new registrations. – We do not see this as a tightening, but as a pure blockade. You refuse to do the job you are assigned to, i.e. check registrations, and instead leave it to the individual’s knowledge and ability to find information in old reference books, says parliamentary leader Toril Bakken Kåven. More people want to join the workforce Before the election in 2021, just over 20,500 people had been given the right to vote for the Sámi Parliament. Recently, however, interest in the number of voters has exploded. So far this year, over 1,300 people have asked to be entered in the census. – There has been a marked increase, we now receive between 7 and 15 registrations every day. We are not equipped to treat everyone, says Tom Sottinen. For the Sami Parliament, it is very difficult to check information about whether parents, grandparents or great-grandparents have had Sami as their home language. That is why applicants themselves are asked to attach documentation for this, because it will facilitate the proceedings, says Sottinen. – Sometimes name and date of birth are good enough, but in many cases it is not enough. Information about language can be found in censuses, church records, and the like. It may also be that the applicant is sitting on other types of documentation to which we do not have access, such as family books and village books, says Sottinen. – The Sami Parliament’s responsibility The Nordkalott people believe that it is the Sami Parliament’s responsibility to find this information. Parliamentary leader of Nordkalottfolket, Toril Bakken Kåven, believes that the Sámi Parliament is blocking new registrations in the electoral roll when they ask applicants to document their Sámi language affiliation. Photo: Benjamin Fredriksen – It is your duty, and your responsibility, to carry out this control. The Sámi Parliament now demands that the individual should search church records and censuses themselves, in order to find out the home language of their ancestors. But this is no easy process. It requires competence and experience, which you cannot expect the individual to have, says Toril Bakken Kåven. The party has appealed the case to the Sámi Parliament’s control committee and asks them to assess the legality of the documentation requirement and the legality of the refusals based on a lack of documentation. Can ask for help At the same time as the control of registrations has been tightened, the Sámi Parliament has also strengthened the guidance function, according to Sottinen. – It is so that everyone can contact the Sámi Parliament to get the necessary help in connection with their application for introduction, says Sottinen and adds that this is mentioned in the registration form. Thor-Henrik Hansen will appeal the rejection he has received from the Sami Parliament. Here he will attach a screenshot from the genealogy tool MyHeritage, which, according to Hansen, shows that the great-grandmother was Sami. Hansen understands that the Sámi Parliament must have a way to see that those who register are actually Sámi, but thinks it has become unnecessarily difficult. – It will be too complicated. Then they would rather employ a genealogist who can go through all the applications. I expect there will be a lot of people, says Hansen.
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The Sámi Parliament has tightened control over the number of electors – news Sápmi
