Tractors Haul Navajo Voters to Polls After Floods

Voters in Dennehotso, Arizona, arrived at the Chapterhouse on election day with mud caked on their truck tires after a series of floods damaged local roads. The reservation town in the southwestern United States faced three separate flooding events in the past month, with the most severe occurring on October 22.

Local contractor Kev Woolboy coordinated rescue efforts during that major flood. He noted that man-made earth dams along the highway were intended to slow the water, but heavy rainfall overwhelmed them. Floodwaters from as far as 60 miles away raced toward the town, ravaging homes and newly built roads. The event knocked out power and water, leaving parts of the town covered in thick mud.

Phyllis Yazzie, 74, was at home with her son during the October 22 flood. Her niece called to warn her, prompting Yazzie to look toward the wash and see rising water. The pair attempted to drive out their dirt road but were forced back to the highest point of their property. They spent the night in their vehicle while rescuers tried to reach them.

Woolboy served as a guide for the Navajo Police Department and used an amphibious vehicle to rescue residents. He jumped into the water to help children and elders board, carrying their personal belongings. As darkness fell, the mix of rainfall and reddish-brown silt made it difficult to distinguish the ground from the water. Woolboy realized the road to Yazzie’s house had disappeared, forcing the team to turn around. They were unable to reach her that night.

Two weeks after the flood, residents were still digging out their properties. On election day, a backhoe constructed a temporary road to connect isolated residents to the Chapterhouse polls. Volunteer drivers and chapter employees also shuttled voters to the site. Some residents drove for hours to reach the polling location.

Vera Begay brought her 92-year-old mother, Lilien Begay, to vote. Lilien Begay had lost her home and all identification documents in the flooding. Vera Begay stated that her mother has never missed a vote in her life. Lilien Begay, speaking in Navajo, described herself as emotionally devastated. Urbina Yazzie, 27, observed people gathering in the parking lot to eat fry bread and mutton stew. She said, "It means a lot more to our people to come out and vote," citing the difficult conditions across the Navajo Nation.

The polling site is framed by the sandstone formations of Comb Ridge and Monument Valley. Despite the recent destruction, voters laughed and cried together in the parking lot. The community turned out in large numbers to cast ballots despite the logistical challenges posed by the washed-out infrastructure.