Native voters could swing Arizona. Both parties want their votes

PHOENIX — Both parties are ramping up their efforts to court Native American voters in the final stretch to Election Day.

This demographic could swing the election results in several closely divided states like Arizona.

Native Health, an urban Indian health center, has held several voter registration events across the Grand Canyon state in the run-up to the election.

“I always think that the Native vote in Arizona shouldn't be discounted,” said Walter Murillo, CEO of Native Health. “In such a tight race, I think any marginal or incremental influence that a candidate or issue might have really, really depends on convincing American-Indian voters.”

President Biden only won Arizona in 2020 by about 10,000 votes — less than a 1% margin — in a state where Native Americans make up 5% of the population.

Native Americans have traditionally voted for Democrats, and the Harris campaign is seeking to ensure that pattern continues in 2024.

The Harris campaign on Oct. 2 launched the Native Americans for Harris-Walz coalition, aiming to mobilize tribal leaders, organizations and voters. The campaign dubbed its operations in Arizona, home to 22 federally recognized tribes, the “most expansive tribal organizing program ever in the state,” a campaign official told NPR on Oct. 12, speaking on background to discuss sensitive campaign strategy.

The campaign has already hired over 20 staff members, with plans for more, to focus on the state’s tribal areas. This is the largest Native voter outreach team for a Democratic presidential campaign in the state. Staff dedicated to Native American communities have also been hired in Wisconsin.

The Democratic National Committee on Monday announced a six-figure ad campaign targeting Native voters — dubbed the “I will Vote” campaign — in Arizona, North Carolina, Montana and Alaska, with digital, print, and radio ads with a majority being placed in local and national Native-owned publications. This is their third, and most expensive, Native-focused ad campaign.

Vice President Harris on Oct. 8 received an endorsement from the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe in Nevada, the first-ever endorsement from the tribe in a presidential election, with the tribe citing record funding to tribes and Native American federal appointments.

Tribal leaders and young people in Nevada and Arizona spoke with Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz last week as they rallied in western swing states.

“It means so much to be back with the Gila River Indian Community,” Harris said, noting that last summer she was the first vice president to visit that tribe, mainly based outside Phoenix. “I strongly believe that the relationship between tribal nations in the United States is sacred — and that we must honor tribal sovereignty, embrace our trust in treaty obligations and ensure tribal self-determination.”

Voters already making their choices

At a powwow in Phoenix, tribal members gathered for an evening of dancing, fry bread and sales.

Kevin Jackson, a member of White Mountain Apache, has “Democracy is Indigenous” flags above his jewelry stand. He has already cast his ballot for Harris.

“I think we need someone in there who's going to help out and help us build our infrastructure because right now it's awful,” Jackson said, noting he hopes to attend the inauguration if she is elected.

Across the park, Charles Quimayousie is making his way through the vendors. A member of the Tohono O’odham tribe, he also hopes Harris wins.

“That wall just feels too prejudiced to me,” Quimayousie said, referring to Trump’s border wall — one of the former president’s signature campaign promises to stem migration into the U.S.

“It's a good thing, but it just turns me away because when they built that, it went right through my reservation, and some of my people are still on that side, so I'm against that all the way,” he said.

Both said their tribes generally would agree with them — though there are members who will support Trump.

Gerel Nells, who lives in Mesa and is Navajo said that between Harris and Trump he prefers Trump.

“I did like the fact that Trump put aside a plan for the missing and murdered Indigenous women of this nation,” he said. However, he has already turned in his ballot for comedian Dave Chappelle.

GOP hopes to stave off Democratic efforts

To the east of Phoenix, across the border in Gallup, New Mexico, members of the Navajo Nation pulled in to set up their booths and shop at the Gallup Flea Market, on a sunny Saturday morning.

Navajo Nation, also known as the Dine, is the largest federally recognized tribe both in terms of enrolled members and geographical land. Its territory spans the state borders of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Organizers are looking beyond state lines for mobilizing Arizona voters.

“I do feel like the Natives kind of brought it over last time to the Democrat side,” said Ina Noggle, who was tending to the Arizona GOP’s table at the market. She's campaigning for Trump in Arizona.

“We're just out there trying to present the different platforms and what they have been familiar with and explaining to them that the Democrat Party is no longer the party of their grandparents and their parents,” she said. Noggle talks to voters about issues like abortion and energy independence.

Noggle, Halee Dobbins — the RNC’s communications director — and others at the event said they were not asking market-goers to vote for a specific candidate — but rather approached the conversation by talking about values.

“It makes the conversation more fruitful and more productive, honestly,” Dobbins said. “If you talk to the Navajos based on their values, that's where you really get people to feel comfortable talking about who are they going to vote for. You don't want to start with ‘Are you just going to vote for this candidate?’”

She said the Trump campaign has been meeting with Navajo Nation members at markets, rodeos, parades, and other local events, and ran an ad on tribal radio to urge voters to “vote Republican.” The campaign didn’t share statistics about how much they’re spending on Native voters overall.

As a part of their showing at the flea market, the McKinley County GOP drove about a dozen cars waving GOP flags for Trump, and New Mexican Republican candidates by honking their horns. Some people waved and honked back. Others grumbled at them to get out.

Making inroads

Still, GOP organizers said they have noticed a change.

“Four years ago it was like, we’d get like so many fingers,” said Pablo Martinez, who is running for a New Mexico House seat and joined Arizona organizers at the market. “But it's different now. Like people are coming out of their shells and there’s a little more pride.”

At the stand, market-goers picked up signs and stickers in support of Trump and Senate GOP candidate Kari Lake. Tribal members walking by assured their support.

Democrats had their own presence in the market.

Brenda Hoskie, a member of the Navajo Nation and chair of the McKinley County Democratic Party in New Mexico, said she had organized precincts and others to put up mutton stew stands on Election Day and for early voting, which began last week.

“After people vote, they can eat and give out signs,” she said.

Since the Navajo Nation stretches across both states, she hopes her efforts will shore up Democratic support among the Navajo in Arizona, as well the San Juan Southern Paiute tribes.

“We need to win Arizona. So I'm out there making sure that we are not sitting back,” Hoskie said.