Native American voters were key to helping Democrats clinch Arizona in 2020. Though they make up only about 5 percent of the state’s population, they tend to vote heavily Democratic, and their power at the ballot box is growing through grass roots efforts to register and turn out the Native vote.
But in this election, many Native voters say they feel exhausted, disappointed and torn about how to vote. Some were re-energized by Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee. But overall it was frustration and anxiety that we heard as we talked with more than four dozen voters around Phoenix and on the Navajo Nation, the country’s largest reservation, about their concerns.
They worried about Arizona’s increasingly deadly heat. Many voters felt like they had been left out of the state’s growing economy, with unemployment for Native Americans almost double the national average. And they questioned why electricity, running water and good health care were still out of reach on reservations, even after the passage of a huge infrastructure bill in 2021.
Inflation, Immigration and Abortion Hit Close to Home
In interviews, many Native voters said the sting of inflation was even worse on reservations struggling with chronic poverty. People who commute hours to work from their rural homes on the Navajo Nation say they are spending hundreds of dollars more on gas. A loaf of bread at the sole grocery store in their towns can now run them $5.
Scroll to play video
Kyle Mitchell
Kyle Mitchell
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
MakanaLani Pike
MakanaLani Pike
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
“The economy —
“The economy —
oh my goodness.”
oh my goodness.”
“There’s a lot of inflation and gas prices
“There’s a lot of inflation and gas prices
have gone up tremendously.”
have gone up tremendously.”
“The prices of food —”
“The prices of food —”
“Simple things like bread at $4 and $5,
“Simple things like bread at $4 and $5,
it’s just unbelievable.”
it’s just unbelievable.”
“And then there’s, of course, the economic policies that
“And then there’s, of course, the economic policies that
Just, am I going to be able to have a home in the future?
Just, am I going to be able to have a home in the future?
Am I going to be a homeowner?”
Am I going to be a homeowner?”
“I do want a home of my own.
“I do want a home of my own.
But with the way everything is in the economy,
But with the way everything is in the economy,
and in our country right now, it’s a very hard thing
and in our country right now, it’s a very hard thing
to think about.”
to think about.”
“The economy under Trump was during the Covid years.
“The economy under Trump was during the Covid years.
He handled that crisis horribly.
He handled that crisis horribly.
So I think the economy under Trump wasn’t very healthy.”
So I think the economy under Trump wasn’t very healthy.”
“The Democrat Party can talk all they want about,
“The Democrat Party can talk all they want about,
‘Inflation’s coming down,
‘Inflation’s coming down,
inflation’s coming down.’
inflation’s coming down.’
Well, when I see it, I’ll believe it.”
Well, when I see it, I’ll believe it.”
Liam Enos, 17, also a member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, will cast his first vote in November. He wants to study business in college and is leaning toward Mr. Trump, because he wants the next president to bring more jobs and businesses. “I want to vote for someone who can help our community,” he said.
But Tony Santo, who runs a roadside stand serving fry bread and green chile, said too many people in his life had died of Covid for him to consider supporting the former president. “He disrespected the whole country,” Mr. Santo said.
On some of the most divisive issues facing Americans, Native voters were also split, with issues like immigration and abortion hitting close to home.
Scroll to play video
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
Kyle Mitchell
Kyle Mitchell
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
Kyle Mitchell
Kyle Mitchell
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
“One of the big issues in Arizona is immigration.
“One of the big issues in Arizona is immigration.
I mean, we just can’t say we’re going to build a wall.
I mean, we just can’t say we’re going to build a wall.
That’s not going to stop them.”
That’s not going to stop them.”
“Look, I’m all for helping the next guy.
“Look, I’m all for helping the next guy.
What about your own people?”
What about your own people?”
“When we think about borders,
“When we think about borders,
and we think about building walls,
and we think about building walls,
we’re actually separating families,
we’re actually separating families,
native families, Indigenous families
native families, Indigenous families
that were here thousands of years in this space.”
that were here thousands of years in this space.”
“That border wasn’t there.
“That border wasn’t there.
Our people used to go all the way into Mexico.
Our people used to go all the way into Mexico.
So that’s kind of heartbreaking to see
So that’s kind of heartbreaking to see
that wall go through our community.”
that wall go through our community.”
“It’s frustrating to see all the resources poured out
“It’s frustrating to see all the resources poured out
to different people from different countries,
to different people from different countries,
and we can’t even address our own.”
and we can’t even address our own.”
“I’ve worked alongside Dreamers.
“I’ve worked alongside Dreamers.
I’ve worked with them in the classroom
I’ve worked with them in the classroom
and they’re beautiful people.”
and they’re beautiful people.”
“I’ve met with so many different tribes and so many
“I’ve met with so many different tribes and so many
are still struggling.
are still struggling.
No plumbing, no water, no electricity.
No plumbing, no water, no electricity.
It’s a shame.”
It’s a shame.”
“What can we do in policy
“What can we do in policy
where people don’t die in the desert?
where people don’t die in the desert?
I mean, where’s the humanity in that?”
I mean, where’s the humanity in that?”
Scroll to play video
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
Kyle Mitchell
Kyle Mitchell
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Dorothy Denetsosie Gishie
Clissene Lewis
Clissene Lewis
“I think we’re very pro-life
“I think we’re very pro-life
because we’re pro-culture.
because we’re pro-culture.
Without our kids, we have no future.
Without our kids, we have no future.
And as Indigenous people,
And as Indigenous people,
we would be exterminating ourselves.”
we would be exterminating ourselves.”
“You know, I think your body, your rights,
“You know, I think your body, your rights,
in my view.”
in my view.”
“I don’t know why, but as female
“I don’t know why, but as female
we’re always being attacked
we’re always being attacked
as far as where our health is concerned.
as far as where our health is concerned.
And I think as a woman, I as an individual
And I think as a woman, I as an individual
should make my own choices based on my personal health,
should make my own choices based on my personal health,
and not leave it in the hands of politicians.”
and not leave it in the hands of politicians.”
“On a personal note, I was a teenage mother myself.
“On a personal note, I was a teenage mother myself.
But I never thought of having an abortion
But I never thought of having an abortion
because we were poor.”
because we were poor.”
“The Republican Party —
“The Republican Party —
hey, if you’re so pro-life, then you know what,
hey, if you’re so pro-life, then you know what,
get up and sign pieces of legislation
get up and sign pieces of legislation
that will give people enough money to raise those children.”
that will give people enough money to raise those children.”
Henrietta Jackson, 54, says she opposes Republican efforts to restrict abortion. At the same time, she is exasperated by how much the campaigns are focused on the issue. “It’s nobody else’s choice,” she said. “What we should be focusing on is getting our country united.”
Maryetta and Henrietta Jackson
With so much at stake, Native voters say they’re ultimately looking for a candidate who can bring answers — and change.
“We depend too much on the government,” said Olson Paddock, a 68-year-old retired nursing-home worker. “I’m pro-Trump. He’s the only one who’s got a good head on his shoulders.”
Sepchedhiosik and Angel Molina
Some who had been flirting with third-party candidates said they were now solidly backing Ms. Harris. Some even said they felt some optimism, including Angel Molina, 20, a member of the Gila River Indian Community.
“All I can do is hope that we will be able to come together,” she said, “and make a good judgment on what the future of our country will look like.”
