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Show THE ZEPHYR DECEMBER 1990 that they cannot stand within feet of the voting booths. This means that they must remain outside. The volunteer lawyer, Mary Ellen Sloan, and the cameraman dispute this ruling. They stay. At 7:04 another challenge occurs. Freddie Yazzie has already registered to vote. He lives In Bluff but was listed as voting In Red Mesa. The polling judges confer. The Attorney Generals lawyer Is agitated, trying to get through to someone on her walkle talkie. This Is the first onel I hear her exclaim, excitedly. Freddie Yazzie Is finally allowed to vote. Media reporters follow him out the door, then cluster around him. "Have you ever voted before?" ISO "Yea." PAGE 7 significantly lighter In Oljeto. Only 42 of the registered voters came out to vote. Red Mesa and Mexican Hat also have small turnouts. But elsewhere, voters have turned out In record numbers. Later In the evening the Democrats euphoria Is shattered. Believing they stood a good chance of electing some of their candidates, they are disappointed to learn that none of the challenging candidates have won. Mark Maryboy Is the only Navajo elected to county office. He Is County Commissioner by an overwhelming vote. In addition, Andrew and have been elected Tribal Council Delegates from Aneth. Dan Tso Maryboy Nakai lost his bid to become County Assessor by only 417 votes. Ruby Nakal lost by 500 votes, Julius Claw and Claudia Keith have been defeated. Claude Lacy, Incumbent Sheriff, running on the Republican ticket was by a wide majority, showing a Navajo crossover vote, and defeating Nelson Begay. Ken Sleight has lost his hard fought race with Incumbent Dave Adams. Standing In the pizza restaurant across from the County Courthouse In Monticello, I am watching the televised election returns. A cheer goes up from the Democrats when It Is announced that Bill Orton and Wayne Owens have won. Another cheer goes up for Art as Salt Lake County Treasurer. Art Is here In the pizza restaurant He Monson, has worked all weekend, helping get Navajos out to vote. He Is warmly congratulated as Is Mark Maryboy, who has Just walked In, covered with snow. By Wednesday morning, the election Is history. More Navajos have voted than ever before. Although they were not elected, Ken Sleight and the Native American candidates ran very well. "Navajos are here to stay, says Mark Maryboy. Native Americans comprise a majority of registered voters In San Juan County, but not enough of them came out to elect the Democratic slate. Jean Melton, campaign manager for the Native Americans, stated that the stormy weather and the confusion over tribal politics were additional factors responsible for low voter turnout Intense media attention may have alienated potential voters. A letter sent from the Attorney Generals Office, Just prior to the election, confused many Navajo voters. It was sent to those who were thought to have duplicate registrations. It went out on official stationery and requested those voters to come In to clear up their status. Many Navajos who were not able to read felt Intimidated by this mailing and decided not to vote at all. Mark Maryboys mother, Clara, was one who received the letter. When It was translated, her response was to vote. She spent all morning at the Bluff polling location, serving coffee, cookies and explaining the letter to voters. Perhaps the most far reaching results of the election come with the Increased media attention focused on southeastern Utah. Republican officials have heard loud and clear what their Navajo constituents have to say. Never again can they turn a deaf ear to Navajo complaints. Thirty-fo- ur years after they received the vote, Navajos have enfranchised themselves. They will vote In the future. They will be heard. ted ted "When?" "Since I was 18. "Why do you think It Is Important? "Cause Navajos didnt have a voice before. Minutes later, Celia Alarlo from Moab Is told she can not remain Inside the polling location wearing her tee shirt "She Is blatantly campaigning, says the Attorney General lawyer. Somewhat later, I too am accused of the same offense and told to button my Jacket or leave. The shirts feature an arrowhead surrounded by Rainbow People with the words "Nlha Whool Zhllzh which translated means, "It's Our Turn, the slogan adapted by the Native American candidates. During an Interview following the tee shirt Incident, Celia Alarlo states "Every oppressed minority should be looking at San Juan County today. This Is history In the making. leave the Bluff polling place at 1 1 :30 a.m. It Is not easy to find the White Mesa voting hall. There Is no sign, no American flag, no posters. In fact, It Is In an unmarked house on the Ute Reservation. Inside sit four ladles who have been county polling Judges for years. Their ballot box Is not locked, It Is taped with a small adhesive. "Gall Johnson (County ClerkAudltor) says Utes cant be trusted with the keys to a padlock, we might lose them and It would be too expensive to cut open the baljot box, says one Ute Judge with a wry smile. The Judges are more Interested In my newspaper clipping of handsome Luke Duncan, Chairman of another Ute band. "Can you get us an autograph? I am asked. I say I will do my best and drive on towards Blandlng. By now the storm has hit San Juan County. The snow Is heavy and wet I visit the four Blandlng precincts. Here and there I find angry white voters. Again and again I hear, "Some of my best friends are Navajos... .but" "There are only 50 activists stirring up the Navajos, says Rusty Musselman, former sheriff. "The rest of 'em dont give a dam about the election. "Navajos have different thought patterns from us, I hear. "Can you Imagine how It would be to walk into the Court House and have one of them as Assessor? Two men are engaged In a shouting match with Channel 4 cameramen: "Why dont you Just take your story back to Salt Lake! shouts one man. "News likes news so they print It the way they want the wrong way." "Navajos never had It so good, yells the other man. The Navajo candidates even arent qualified, and besides there are too many of them running. "If the Navajos are elected, youll see a lot of people moving out of Blandlng. I sense that the Intense media coverage and spotlight on San Juan County has made tempers short People are frustrated at what they perceive to be deliberate misunderstanding. These people resist the label "racist They believe they are fair and Just "This election Is making enemies, says Homer Taylor, who adds that Ken Sleight lst Is probably an and definitely a phony, so he won't vote for him. "Mark Maryboy wants a war," exclaims Joe Lyman, nephew of the I eco-terror- self-proclaim- ed "late great Cal Black." "But we dont want war, we want cooperation. Steady voting continues throughout the day, despite the weather. It soon becomes evident that this is an historic vote. Some precincts are reporting over 70 voter turnout I decide to drive to Oljeto with Moab volunteers Monte Rlsenhoover and Celia Alarlo. When we arrive In Oljeto, It Is dark, the voting Is about finished. I begin to hear disturbing comments that Navajos have been Intimidated from voting. "You will lose your welfare benefits If you vote," they were told. "People will be watching you. In Bluff, similar threats have been heard. "You will lose your Job If you vote." Perhaps because of the weather, perhaps because of threats, the voter turnout Is SEASONS GREETINGS FROM MOABS 74 so. main 259-SUB- S ted Re-elec- ted |