Individual claims Sámi identity in Norway’s Sámi Parliament elections for joke

Recently, NRK reported on a person who participated in the Sámi Parliament elections in Norway despite not being Sámi. The individual revealed they had applied to be listed in the Sámi Parliament’s voter registry as a joke, and NRK has chosen to keep their identity anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Four years ago, this person claimed to be Sámi on an application form, citing an ancestral connection. The Norwegian Sámi Parliament accepted their application, which granted them the right to both vote and run for office. The individual expressed surprise that their application was approved, expecting to be questioned about their eligibility.

Their experiment turned serious when they actually voted and later ran as a candidate, realizing the gravity of the situation only after being positioned as an alternate member of the Sámi Parliament. They admitted that although they felt excited, it was troubling to have misrepresented their background.

This isn’t an isolated case; previous reports indicated other non-Sámi individuals who managed to get on the Sámi Parliament’s voter list. The public is now considering measures to address this. In 2022, NRK highlighted incidents of individuals falsely identifying as Sámi to gain voting rights, thereby violating the registration criteria.

For one to vote in the Sámi elections, one must be listed in the Sámi Parliament’s registry as a Sámi person, which has specific criteria involving language and familial connections. The case has ignited discussions about voter registration practices in both Norway and Finland, with calls for verification processes to ensure that only genuine Sámi individuals are represented in the parliament.