Voters: Keep your promises

GANADO/KINLICHEE, Ariz.

The power of the Navajo vote is bringing out the best in dozens of candidates.

On Tuesday, voters cast their ballots for their choice of 18 Navajo Nation president candidates and dozens of others contending for delegate, election and education board seats.

Darlene Owens, who has lived in Albuquerque for 35 years, was selling burritos at Kinlichee Chapter.

Owens said she decided to be “picky” about whom she was going to vote for. Since moving home, getting water and electricity to her home site and wanting to open a business have become beasts of burden.

“Most places, the house, you get your water and electricity all built in first,” she said. “Here, I was told that the house has to be built first before the water and electricity can come.

“It’s kind of backwards of how that all works,” she said. “Now I’m at the point I have to reapply with NTUA to come back out to give us another estimate because they only give you something like 30 days. I think that’s kind ridiculous.”

The owner of a restaurant called Frybread Mommas in Albuquerque for 10 years thought she’d have a business up and running in no time. Two years later, the weeds around the buildings she’s been eyeing as business sites have gotten taller.

“There’s lot of people like myself selling burritos on the side of the road every morning who are trying to be self-sufficient and self-employed,” Owens said. “Yet, there are big corporate businesses that are getting the buildings.”

Owens said whoever becomes the next president or Council delegate should cut the red tape that’s choking the potential of entrepreneurs on the reservation.

Jane Sheperd, 91, from Steamboat, Arizona, said she voted this morning with the hope of being helped by whoever won.

“If they mean the things they say, things will be that much better,” she said in Navajo. “Most of the time, these leaders never visit us after they are voted into office. They need to understand we elderly need wood and other help.

“I hope they don’t continue bickering amongst themselves in Window Rock after we vote them into office,” she said. “That is all I have to say.”

Sheperd’s granddaughter, Jackie Jim, agreed with her that the candidates must uphold their promises and not get lost in corruption.

“As soon as they get into office they get this power and that power is like corrupting,” Jim said.

“There are stuff that needs to happen to make it a better place,” she said. “First, off the roads, the roads are horrible. And then there’s health care. Then there’s my grandma. She has nobody to help her. I help her every chance I can. They say, ‘We’re all about the elder, the young people.’”

Candidates for president Jonathan Nez and Alton Joe Shepherd arrived at the chapter and greeted supporters.

Nez said he and his wife were visiting chapters along the way back to Shonto.

“It’s quite interesting at Kinlichee,” Nez said. “They’re saying, ‘Where’s all the 17 other candidates? I think a lot of the candidates are not reaching out to the smaller communities. I think the little chapters are as important as the bigger chapters.”

Shepherd was also busy cooking lunch. He said came from Steamboat and was heading to Fort Defiance after he cooks.

“We’re gonna catch up there with a bigger crowd,” he said. “Things have been pretty busy since this morning. It’s looking pretty good for the home base that I have right now here in Ganado. We’ve done our part in trying to get people informed. Just keeping positive.”

Shepherd said he was not going to endorse anyone running for his delegate seat until after the primaries.

“You gotta know the area you’re gonna represent,” he said. “Which one of these candidates know the area? Certainly, I’ve left some things undone and some things that need to be done. That’s where my endorsement will come – how much knowledge do they have?”

Alvita Nez, a first-time voter, who moved back from Phoenix, said issues like bad roads, overgrazing and water infrastructure were the reasons why she decided her exercise her right to vote.

“It’s very nice to go and experience. It’s very nice to meet some of the runners,” Nez said, who admitted she was new to the election process.

Nez also said it was important for the candidates to keep their promises.

“A lot of them are saying they are gonna make this and that happen,” she said. “Hopefully with this next president they will actually make whatever they were trying to do happen.”

The voting polls close at 7 p.m. and the announcements of election results will be held at the Window Rock Sports Center at the fairgrounds.

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