Primary Concern
Official hopes for big voter turnout for today's Navajo Nation election

Navajo Nation presidential candidate Harrison Todacheene, right, speaks while fellow candidate Calvin Tsosie Sr. takes notes at a joint campaign rally at the Rock Springs Chapter House on Monday evening. The candidates were making a last push for votes before today's primary elections. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The 110 chapter houses across the Navajo Nation opened polls to voters for primary elections this morning, and election officials are expecting an increase in voters in the primary election.

"We're expecting a 60-70 percent voter turnout," said Edison J. Wauneka, Executive Director for the Office of Elections. "I'm really hoping we hit 70 percent."

While Wauneka said a majority of voters don't come out until the general election, he is hopeful that more voters will make it a priority to vote during the primary election this year. Last election, Wauneka said the turnout rate for the primary election was about 54.5 percent, and in an effort to raise the average, Wauneka said the office has been working closely with the media, particularly radio stations, to encourage people to vote.

Because the office was instructed by the Navajo Nation Supreme Court to put presidential candidate Vern Lee back on the ballot and new ballots with Lee's picture had to be printed, there is a possibility that the official count for the primary election votes may be pushed back. Wauneka said the Board of Elections Committee will meet on Wednesday, and will decide whether to wait on counting the absentee ballots until the 11th since some ballots are still coming in.

In the urban areas, the number of overall primary votes has increased compared to last election. A total of 372 voters in urban areas either walked in to vote or returned their absentee ballots by mail, with 119 ballots from Phoenix, 97 from Farmington, 88 from Albuquerque, 40 from Blanding, 17 from Salt Lake City, and 11 from Denver. There were 109 absentee votes from the Shiprock Agency, 93 from the Fort Defiance Agency, 75 from the Eastern Agency, 54 from the Western Agency, and 24 from the Chinle Agency.

Few rallies, some surprises
Along with a decrease in the number of total presidential candidates and a slow election season, Wauneka has observed that the number of presidential candidates' campaign rallies is less than usual.

"I was pretty surprised that there weren't as many (campaign rallies) as there usually are," said Wauneka.

Wauneka said presidential candidates were trying to get as many rallies in as possible before primary elections, but that there was were still very few these past several months.

The unofficial withdrawal of presidential candidate Jon C. Reeves of Fruitland was also unexpected by the office, especially being so close to the primary elections.

"That was a surprise," said Wauneka. "It's too late for him to withdraw."

Wauneka said that while Reeves publicly withdrew himself from the race, he is technically still on the ballot since he has not come into the office to file the paperwork that would officially take him off the ballot. Wauneka said it is not unusual to have candidates drop out of the race, but it is unusual that Reeves dropped out so close to primaries and then publicly announced his support for the incumbent. At a presidential forum held last week, Reeves announced his withdrawal and then stated that he felt President Joe Shirley, Jr. was doing a "good job."

"That was kind of s strange thing to happen," said Wauneka. "I don't know if he intended to do that."

Reeves could not be reached for comment.

No presidential candidates have revealed who their running mate may be if they should make it to the general election.

Polls will be open until 7 p.m.