Two Indian candidates in Arizona survived challenges to their nominating petitions while a third dropped out due to invalid signatures.

Incumbent state Sen. Albert Hale and newcomer Christopher Deschene faced challenges from a fellow Democratic candidate and a Hopi man who is seeking the Republican nomination for a seat in the Arizona Legislature. The challenges claimed that tribal members who use post office boxes instead of a physical address cannot sign nominating petitions.

Incumbent Rep. Albert Tom faced the same challenge but dropped out because he said he fell 27 signatures short. He said some of the tribal members signed a petition for the wrong county.

Hale, Deschene and Tom are members of the Navajo Nation.

Get the Story:
Tom out, two other Navajo candidates survive challenge (The Arizona Capital Times 7/1)
Natives protest challenge to rights (The Gallup Independent 6/30)

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Lawsuit challenges Indian candidate petitions (6/26)