{"id":42996,"date":"2024-11-06T13:38:19","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T18:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=42996"},"modified":"2024-11-06T13:47:55","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T18:47:55","slug":"cronkite-news-voters-on-navajo-nation-encounter-problems-on-election-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/11\/06\/cronkite-news-voters-on-navajo-nation-encounter-problems-on-election-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Voters on Navajo Nation encounter problems on Election Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Election<\/a>
Some voters on the Navajo Nation had to wait for hours in Chinle, Arizona, to cast their ballots due to voting issues at the site on November 5, 2024. Photo by Marshall Baker \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n
Voters in Navajo Nation face polling issues on Election Day; Apache County extends voting hours<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, November 6, 2024<\/div>\r\n
By Marshall Baker<\/div>\r\n
Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n
cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

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NAVAJO NATION \u2013 On a brisk Tuesday election morning, thousands in the Navajo Nation lined up at precincts and chapter houses to cast their votes in the general and Navajo Nation elections. As ballots were counted and numbers updated throughout the day, the overall feeling was excitement, but there was still uncertainty among voters as voting came to an end.<\/p>\r\n

Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump set up camp outside voting sites and provided donuts, coffee and many campaign flyers to help spread their respective messages.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little nerve-racking right now,\u201d said Lucretia Joe, a Democratic Party supporter who had been accommodating voters at the Ganado Chapter House since 6 a.m. \u201cOur coffee is going and going, so far we did about six pots of coffee (as of 12 a.m.).\u201d<\/p>\r\n \"Election<\/a>

Sign at the Ganado Chapter House included a hotline for those in need of voting assistance. Photo by Marshall Baker \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

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Joe was spending her time at voting precincts to assist those in the Navajo Nation who needed help on Election Day. A large portion of the Navajo Nation is in Apache County, which has had complications with voting in the past \u2013 and this year was no different.<\/p>\r\n

About 71.8% of Apache County is American Indian\/Alaskan Native, making it the largest demographic and a higher proportion than any other county in Arizona. In 2018, the Navajo Nation sued Apache County over inadequate voting services. In the 2020 general election, voters in Apache County saw a higher percentage of rejected provisional ballots due to voting in the wrong precinct, according to votebeat.org<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Late Tuesday, the Navajo Nation asked the Apache County Superior Court to keep polls open late because of delays earlier in the day. Judge Michael Latham ordered polls in Lukachukai, Lupton, Rock Point, Cottonwood, St. Michaels, Wheatfields, Dennehotso, Fort Defiance and Chinle to remain open for two extra hours until 9 p.m.<\/p>\r\n \"Election<\/a>

A road sign points to Window Rock, the capital of the Navajo Nation. Photo by Marshall Baker \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

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According to the county\u2019s Board of Supervisors, there were issues early in the day with on-demand ballot printers. By 6 p.m., one polling site was still having difficulties, according to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes.<\/p>\r\n

Ballots submitted after regular voting hours were treated as provisional ballots and sequestered pending verification by poll workers.<\/p>\r\n

There has been a history of voting complications within Indigenous communities in Arizona, and Tuesday morning provided a new set of challenges. Shandiin Herrera and Sadie Red Eagle are both third-year law students at Arizona State University\u2019s Sandra Day O\u2019Connor College of Law. As part of the organization Arizona Native Vote, they were outside the Chinle voting precinct helping people with questions regarding the election. In their time assisting people, they encountered many of the voting challenges that still hinder Apache County today.<\/p>\r\n \"Election<\/a>

The Mary, Mother of Mankind Parish gymnasium served as a voting precinct in St. Michaels. Photo by Marshall Baker \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

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The issues they said people faced were:<\/p>\r\n