On Election Day, flooding has complicated voting in parts of the Navajo Nation

Hundreds of voters in Rock Point, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation were unable to reach the polls Tuesday as flooding had closed a major bridge and washed out dirt roads, a tribal official said.

On a typical Election Day, the chapter house parking lot would be buzzing with voters, candidates and pop-up food stalls.

“Unfortunately, today that parking lot is underwater,” said Valinda Shirley, vice president of the Rock Point Chapter, the local seat of tribal government.

Officials moved the polling place across the street to an administration building, but many residents remained stranded.

“I have people that are still texting me asking how I can get them out so they can vote,” Shirley said Tuesday afternoon.

The flooding is keeping those residents from casting ballots in both the U.S. midterms and races for Navajo Nation president and council delegates.

“I just got back via airplane from St. John’s, the county seat up in Apache County,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos on Tuesday afternoon. “Lots of folks displaced, lots of roads out and in spite of that, their vote centers are operational.

“Now, unfortunately, in some areas, they’re not accessible because of roads from one direction or another, but those communities are very, very well versed in how to get from point A to point B and alternate routes because, as Larry Noble, the county recorder up there (in Apache County) indicated to me, they’re they’re used to this. This has happened before, and the community’s really helping each other out. The mayors (in) Flagstaff and Cottonwood — I was in both of those cities today meeting with both of those officials — have indicated that if you call City Hall, you can get a ride to the polls. So just communities across Arizona helping Arizona’s voters.”

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