What became of the Five Civilized Tribes after the Trail of Tears? Is their governance truly sovereign? As a voter registration intern with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, I was able to explore these issues, as well as engage with the culture of my tribe. In my time at CNO, I was able to attend court hearings involving the Indian Child Welfare Act, witness constitutional crises, write procedures, and challenge the practices of CNO lawyers, department directors, tribal council members, and election board officers. I was also responsible for the auditing of tribal membership documents, registering people to vote, and running a tribal election from start to finish. In the end, I have a newfound respect for the efforts of tribal members on behalf of a desperately underserved community, as well as a corresponding critical view of the way things have been run within my tribe’s government.