Building Indigenous and rural voting power.

Moving from voter registration to GOTV

Our fall has been busy! Team members faced the elements all year long to get us to this point. They held events, teach-ins, made home visits, drove hundreds of miles, coordinated supply pickups and drop offs, chased down voter forms, checked voter status, registered voters, and so much more. All in the collective effort to get our folks ready to vote in the November 5th General Election.

Now that voter registration season is over in Arizona, it’s now a race to Get Out The Vote. Voting has begun! Early Mail-In Ballots were mailed October 9, and Early Vote In Person began the same day. The next deadline is October 25th, the last day to request an early ballot and November 1st, the last day for in-person early voting. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th.

Firekeepers and organizers have accomplished so much:

• Our Firekeepers and youth organizers have engaged in one-on-one conversations with more than 2,500 community members;
• Our teams have brought in hundreds of folks to our fun, free community events, including horseshoes tournaments, bingo games, and goat roping contests, where the admission is registering yourself or a relative to vote, checking your voter information, or signing a pledge to vote
• Our volunteers and staff are writing over 12,000 postcards to voters to connect them with our organizers, provide key election information, and to remind them to vote

Indigenous votes are pivotal in this election

Early voting is underway and our team has been out carrying the message about voting in-person, returning mail-in ballots and voting the whole ballot. We have a long ballot that includes 14 ballot measures. Our Secretary of State General Election pamphlet alone is 355 pages! We are encouraging our people to vote early with their families, hold vote parties to understand the ballot together, and take the time they need to go through the ballot. We have three weeks to prepare and plan for the big day!

Our team is now reaching high potential voters, influencers to help triple the vote, and bringing new voters along because our every single vote really does matter.

Our Hopi Voter Empowerment team is energizing voters with bingo, burritos, home visits, and more. Firekeepers have been verifying community members' voter status, collecting pledge cards, and helping voters make a plan to vote. They've been fielding questions about the Active Early Voting List (AVEL), mail-in ballots, election calendar, and voting locations. Firekeepers do their best to engage residents of all 12 villages on Hopi lands. They are the best experts to explain, in Hopi or English, the importance of not just registering to vote, but also the importance of participating in the democratic process. A few of the fun community events they attended:

• 100 Mile Club 
• Health Fair
• Bivi Event
• Indian Day Event at Hopi Day School
• KUYI Radio Station Summer Concert

Voter education and outreach can absolutely be fun!

In September, our Navajo Voter Empowerment team and Young Peoples Program Saddled Up for Change with Protect the Sacred to encourage communities to register to vote and check their status. Allie Young and Taylor Bennett-Begay organized the week long event that kicked off the week with a skateboard competition and rock concert in Tuba City, a week long trail ride with stops in several communities, and wrapped up with a bull riding competition and country concert in Window Rock, AZ. Thank you Lucy Ben and family who butchered a sheep and served up delicious mutton stew and fry bread for the community members of Many Farms and Chinle. One symbolic event was the Ride to the Polls kick off in Kayenta, AZ. On Sept. 15th riders, family, friends, and culture keeper Talibah Begay gathered at the town's only ballot dropbox and sang a beautiful blessing for participants.

Our White Mountain Apache family–Ndee Voter Empowerment Program hosted several exciting voter registration events in McNary, Cibecue, and Whiteriver and surrounding communities that included amazing music, food, voter education activities, and partnered with other local and Indigenous led organizations like Bii'Nalwod. Special thanks to Dawnafe Whitesinger, Latashia Burnette, Dr. Rea Goklish, District IV Councilwoman Mariddie Craig, and Eileen Ellen, and everyone who pitched in and who shared powerful messages around building Apache Power and the importance of every vote.

"This election includes more than just the U.S. presidential race—there are other critical issues that will impact our tribe, our reservation, and our resources. Let's get out and vote this year to protect our lands, waters, and tribe!" - Jandi Craig, Field Manager

MSNBC and NBC’s Meet the Press interviewed several Ndee Voter Empowerment team members about their work to reach voters. Our Executive Director Jaynie Parrish was also interviewed about challenges to get out the vote in tribal and rural areas and how we are working to help folks overcome some of those barriers. Thank you Alyssa London, Tlingit, for capturing the power of our work in the community. View the segment here bit.ly/anvmsnbc

Great work Firekeepers! Our organizers are ensuring every voice is heard.

We have a new high school fellowship and college internship program! Both are paid ten-week programs for high school juniors and seniors and college students to increase civic participation with their peers—in their school and communities. The fellowship and internship will be available across Navajo, White Mountain Apache, and Hopi lands. Both programs offer opportunities for students to develop community organizing skills while engaging in meaningful actions that increase the wellbeing and sovereignty of their tribal nation.



Elder and volunteer Rosetta Walker and ANV's Executive Director Jaynie Parrish took part in the 2024 Arizona Native Vote Forum on Oct. 2nd at Talking Stick Resort, Salt River-Pima Maricopa Community, Scottsdale. They shared their organizing stories and discussed grassroots efforts to reach voters. The three day event included a candidate forum, breakout sessions, and was hosted by the Phoenix Indian Center and Four Directions. Featured speaker and organizer Stacey Abrams joined community members on Sep. 30th.

Highlights of late summer and fall events – SKO!

+ Aug. 31 - Arizona Native Vote Ndee Voter Tune Up at the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Fairgrounds and Bandstands. Our team, including youth organizers, were in force to check voters’ registration status, welcome first time voters, and get out the word about what’s on the November ballot.

Thank you to Jandi, Kaia, Landis, Shara, Raughni, and all the local organizers working hard to connect with voters. “We don’t come together enough to celebrate." We could not agree more with Jandi. Celebrate and vote.

+ On Sept. 7th there was a Hopi Voter Empowerment / KUYI Summer Musical Festival. Another great voter tune up, election information, and burritos!

+ Sept. 8th and 9th, When Natives Vote event at Tuba City and Farmington. Guest speakers included: Triston Black, Natiana King, Allie Young, Jalen Harvey and Mark Trahant. The information was especially important for young voters, lots of information about some of the issues and candidates.

+ Sept. 18th Youth organizers, Leila Ayaal-Winbury and Triston Black, led Arizona Native Vote's Indigenous Democracy Class with Red Mesa High School seniors. Our team will be back three more times to finish the sessions which focuses on the Indigenous roots of democracy, voter education, civic engagement, and more. They are scheduled for 8 schools this semester and will be returning in the spring. Year round organizing at its best!

+ Sept. 29th Horseshoes Tournament and Voter Tune Up hosted by the Ndee Voter Empowerment Program

+ On Oct.3rd U.N.I.T.Y's Ride & Vote: Amplify Native Voices highlighted the work led by our amazing Young People's Program, Tristin Black and Leila Winbury. They talked strategies and engagement with young Native voters.

+ Bingo and Cakewalk on Oct. 5th in the communities of Blue Gap-Cottonwood and surrounding communities. A great family event for folks to check their registration and set up a texting chain reminding family members to vote. 

Coming up!

• Indigenous Peoples' Day Celebration on Oct. 14 at Whiteriver Country Hall Grounds. A great way to recognize the holiday – hear some great music – and amplify election voices. 

• Horseshoes Tournament and GOTV in Whiteriver - TBA

• Goat Roping and Get Out the Vote on Oct. 10 and 12th at Blue Gap.

• GOTV with Neon Moon Express Band on Oct 19th at Chinle Flea Market.

For more information visit arizonanativevote.org

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Arizona Native Vote (ANV) is non-partisan 501(c)(3) dedicated to building tribal and rural political power. We do this by working with community members to increase voter education, registration and civic engagement. Our team is building a bench of local year-round community organizers and leaders.