About 80% of Arizona voters cast their ballots by mail but vote centers in and around Flagstaff were busy Tuesday.
Among voters casting ballots at Coconino Community College was Geri Hongeva who said she’s enthusiastic in her support for former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez in his run for Congress.
The Democrat is challenging Republican Rep. Eli Crane in Arizona’s Congressional District 2.
“I think that having a Native American person in these higher places makes a difference for all of us back home and on the reservation,” Hongeva said.
Polling just ahead of election day showed a close race between Crane and Nez despite the rural district favoring Republicans.
Meanwhile, Bruce Lowell said he planned to support Republicans across the board.
“Well, I've been a conservative my whole life so I'm not changing today,” Lowell said.
He said he’s not happy with Rep. Andy Biggs as the Republican’s nominee for governor. But he still hopes Gov. Katie Hobbs doesn’t see a second term in office.
“Her record: education, vetoes, spending, and then her issues with the pay-to-play,” Lowell said. “I can't vote for that. I can't keep that in office. That's not American. So I say ‘I'm not a total supporter of the Republican candidate but I think anything is better than what we have.’”
Amy Turturro cast her vote at the Evergreen Church northeast of Flagstaff on Townsend-Winona Road.
She said one issue in particular shaped the way she filled out her ballot.
“The big one for me is safety in the girls' locker room,” Turturro said. “I don't want to see anybody of any other sex — whatever they think and feel — I don't want to see young girls have that in their locker rooms, so I voted accordingly.”
Dominic D'Amelio cast his vote at the Flagstaff Aquaplex and says the cost of living is a top issue for him.
He said housing affordability influenced how he voted in local races while gas prices impacted his choice in the congressional race.
“Gas prices are actually outrageous. It's really frustrating, especially because I own a diesel truck so I'm almost paying $7 a gallon for gas. That's almost $160 for a full tank,” D'Amelio said. “I can't really afford to pay all my housing and utilities on top of gas. Which is almost another like $200 a month. So it's really frustrating. And I think that definitely influences my vote.”
