WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Voters across the Navajo Nation braved cold weather and a snowstorm in parts of the reservation to vote in the Arizona and New Mexico Democratic primaries and caucuses for the U.S. Presidency on Feb. 3.
The Navajo Nation even gave tribal employees two hours paid leave to vote in the elections. Tribal employees are often provided two hours to vote in tribal elections, such as elections for the tribal presidency and seats on the Navajo Nation Council. It wasn’t known if this is the first time that all 6,000 tribal employees were given paid leave for two hours to vote in a federal primary election.
This year, Navajo leaders have been aggressive in urging tribal members to get out and vote. In November, Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. teamed up with National Congress of American Indians President Tex Hall for a Native Vote campaign, unveiled at the NCAI gathering in Albuquerque. Navajo Nation Speaker of Council Lawrence Morgan, joined Shirley to sign a proclamation encouraging Navajos to vote. Arizona’s Indian tribes make up 4.5 percent of the state.
The Feb. 3 election showed that Navajo voters mirrored Arizona and New Mexico democratic voters by giving Sen. John Kerry the edge over Clark in both states. Overall, Kerry got 42.3 percent of the Arizona votes in all counties and 42.5 percent across New Mexico. Clark finished second in both states with 20.58 percent in Arizona and 22 percent in New Mexico.
On the Navajo Nation, Kerry averaged between 30 and 40 percent of the votes in all counties, while retired General Wesley Clark often came in second and Sen. Joe Lieberman, Gov. Howard Dean, and Sen. Edwards, dueled for third.
In Apache County, Ariz., Kerry received 37 percent of the voters, while Lieberman finished second with 923 votes. According to Navajo officials, there are about 47,000 registered Democrats on the Arizona side of the Navajo Nation. An election official told the Arizona Republic that he expected a 10 percent voter turnout on the reservation.
In Coconino County, Ariz., with 28.5 percent of the population being Indian, Kerry easily defeated Clark in almost every Reservation precinct, except Leupp Chapter where Lieberman garnered almost 37 percent of the vote, Clark finished second with 27 percent and Kerry finished third with 24 percent. Overall, in the county, Kerry received 33.5 percent of the votes, while Clark came in second with 31.5 percent. Navajo County votes were similar to Coconino County chapters.
In McKinley County, N.M. Kerry came in first with 686 votes, Clark finished second with 207 votes, and Sen. John Edwards was in third place with 140.
“We can make a difference,” Shirley urged Navajo voters before the primary. “Our voice is strong, let’s use it.”
Navajo leaders and other tribal leaders have also increased their participation in the election process. President Shirley attended an Albuquerque rally the weekend before the primary for front-runner Kerry. “Native America is not at the table with anything with this administration,” Shirley told Kerry at the University of New Mexico campus. “It is time for a change. Native nations have not even been afforded an audience with President Bush, there is no excuse for that.”