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Show THE ZEPHYR DECEMBER 1990 PAGE 6 a turning point in san juan county and the 1990 election the navajo vote by Nancy Shanaman The elections are over. Everyone, Republicans, Democrats, voter and non-vot- er can breath a sigh of relief. Bumper stickers can be tom off, posters can fade Into oblivion. Nowhere Is It more evident that yesterday's news Is old news. The out of town media blitz, covering Grand and San Juan Counties, has left the area. Now we can get back to business say the officials. Yet things will never be the same. This was a watershed election. Although the Native American slate, plus Ken Sleight, did not defeat the Incumbent Republicans, the challenge was felt from Moab to Navajo Mountain. No longer will the Native American minority of San Juan County be silent They have become aware of the power of the vote, they have learned how to publicize their concerns. The newly elected officials will have to weigh Native American rights while being more receptive to their needs. As Democratic challenger Ruby Nakal says, "Were not going to stop being part of the county Just because we lost the election. I live on the Navajo Reservation and vote In San Juan County. I have closely followed the election even before the historic announcement of an all Native American slate (five Navajos, One Cherokee) for county offices, at the Democratic Convention In Blandlng. Nowhere In the United States had an all Indian slate been proposed. The story continued In Moab, where Navajo Commissioner Mark Maryboy was the keynote speaker at the Grand Whewl re-elec- ted Moabs Ken Sleight challenged Incumbent State County Democratic Convention. Representative Dave Adams. Often referred to as Navajo Ken, Sleight campaigned along with the Native Americans. Their concerns were similar, and Sleight realized that his main support would have to come from the Navajo people. Preceding the Primary Election was a massive voter registration drive, conducted In part by University of Utah students from the Bennlon Center. Over 1600 new names were added to the registration list Four hundred of these Navajo names were struck from the list Johnson said these by Gall Johnson, County ClerkAudltor, herself running for names were duplicates, but produced no records to prove It Utah Assistant Lt Governor Dave Hansen announced that these names must be placed back on the rolls. Concerned with numerous Irregularities reported during the Primary, the U.S. Justice Department stepped In, taking an active role In the election, carefully scrutinizing San Juan Countys compliance with the Voting Rights Act Navajos, who comprise the majority of San Juan County voters, had not been allowed to vote In state elections until 1956. Many Navajos had never voted until now. Republicans and Democrats conducted Voter Awareness Forums throughout San Juan County, while Dave Adams and Ken Sleight challenged each other up and down San Juan and Grand Counties. The day before the election, tension was palpable. People could speak of little else. Uncertainty, coupled with fear of election results, brought out the worst In people, already nervous and harassed by out of the area media. Adding to the uncertainty were the Navajo Tribal elections. Not until Monday night was It known that elections for Tribal Delegates would proceed the next day. The Navajo Presidential election was put off until November 20. One of the candidates, Peter MacDonald, was sitting In Jail, having been convicted of charges of bribery, ethic law violations and conspiracy. No one knew how this would affect the voting turnout, but Democrats felt It might discourage Navajos from making the effort to vote. Further confusing the Issue was the fact that tribal nd county elections are not held at the same location, In fact they can be thirty miles apart. Monday morning a large storm hit Northern Utah. Volunteer lawyers had been scheduled to fly down to San Juan County, but the storm grounded all flights. They came by car, arriving close to midnight They would be stationed at key polling places as observers and Interpreters of the law. The U.S. Justice Department also sent legal observers, as did the Utah Attorney Generals Office. It was an all out effort to make sure that anyone who wanted to vote, could do so. Television reporters and Journalists from as far away as the "New York Times flocked Into Grand and San Juan Counties. The effect was mainly felt south of Monticello. Castle Valley Inn Last minute rallies were held. A strategy meeting for the Democratic ticket was held at St Christophers Mission In Bluff, the eve of the election. As volunteers were sorting through county voter lists, a report was received that electrified the group. The Utah Attorney General's Office was planning to put tape recorders Into every voting place to record conversations between Navajos and their Interpreters. People In the crowded room reacted In various ways, but all agreed that It would Intimidate Navao voters. A feeling of 1960s activism began to build. "This Is raw Intimidation," raged Ken Sleight Others agreed and volunteered to trash the recorders. Law school graduate and Indian advocate Jean Melton explained that recorder smashers had better be prepared to go to Jail. Navajo elders, Including James Jim, counseled calmness and reason. Commissioner Mark Maryboy, making a brief appearance, spoke for reason, and placed the events of the day In historical perspective. He compared the Attorney Generals tactics to those used against the Luddites In the early 19th century England. Few In the room understood the reference. (The Luddites were an oppressed minority who worked with hand looms. They were challenged by the might of Englands Industrial Revolution.) Just before midnight nine volunteer lawyers arrived from Salt Lake City. They Joined other volunteers who had come from California, Arizona and New Mexico. A man from Oklahoma had heard of the election on National Public Radio only a few days before. "I Just had to come, he explained. Election Dav a.m. volunteers and media gather In Bluff for breakfast An air of expectation pervades the Cow Canyon Cafe. A sense of history In the making, a heady euphoric 60s kind of feeling, It lasts well Into the evening. At 6:47 a.m., even before the polling places opened, the first challenge occurs. Paula Smith, an attorney with the Utah Attorney Generals Office tells Channel 4 reporters At 5:30 some of the Canyonlands most splendid scenery. Seven rooms, most with private bath ($35-60fine indoor and outdoor dining for registered guests, six acres of orchard, lawns and fields ), full rates. breakfast included in room Featuring: THE GRANDVIEW HOT TUB MRedrock to mountain top views Innkeepers: Eric and Lynn Forbes Thomson. CVSRBox 2602, Moab, Utah 84532. 8012596012 |