Ya'at'eeh John,

My name is Daylene Redhorse, and I am a lifelong resident of San Juan County. As a field organizer for Stewardship Utah, I know how hard it can be to cast your ballot in the remote communities of Southeastern Utah. Vote-by-mail, a vital tool for those who live hours away from polling locations, needs protection as this is the fourth year in a row we’ve seen legislative attempts to dismantle this voting method. We at Stewardship Utah are working hard to ensure it sticks around. Would you support Stewardship Utah’s efforts and help us reach our $10,000 goal by the end of February by donating today?

The Navajo reservation is deeply rural, and polling sites are sporadic at best. Many travel more than one hour each way to cast their ballot. Others have a long commute, and it’s another hour detour to a polling location. Some of our elders are homebound and can’t travel. Their children and grandchildren work, meaning they don’t have transportation to polling locations. We lost so many loved ones during the pandemic, and many still have anxiety being in groups, not wanting to wait in long lines.  

In my situation, my children work out of state and come home once a month. The mail-in ballot is convenient–the proposed changes to our system are hard to understand for many people and would cause confusion and disenfranchisement. With vote-by-mail, everyone can easily fill out their ballot and drop it in the mail or at ballot box locations–a process my community is familiar with and understands. 

A remote home down a dirt road on the Utah portion of the Navajo Nation where voters would have to face long lines, long drives, and potentially bad roads to cast their ballot if HB 300 passes.

Voting is one of the most important tools for change, especially in our rural communities. It has implications for both daily life and the long-term vision for the places we hold dear. While registering voters is crucial, vote-by-mail has enabled registered voters to cast their ballots securely, safely, and conveniently. Voting by mail gives people in extremely rural communities, especially communities without regular internet access or phone service (such as many parts of the Navajo Nation) an opportunity to be active and engaged voters. Removing or drastically changing vote-by-mail means rural and Indigenous folks will have to drive hours – sometimes up to half a day just to vote for their representatives. 

With incidental and systemic barriers already at play in places like the Navajo Nation, this results in low voter turnout and poor representation. It is our work to not only keep our existing voting infrastructure intact, but to work towards removing additional barriers to voting. We’ve seen its impact on communities and environmental protections when people have a say, but there is still so much work to do.

Please help us reach our $10,000 goal that will go directly to our work on Capitol Hill protecting our right to vote-by-mail. Every penny will support Stewardship Utah’s efforts to elevate the voices of rural Utahns, increase voter participation in our state, and create lasting change to protect the land, air, and water for all in Utah. 

Thank you,

Daylene Redhorse,

San Juan County Organizer

[email protected]

www.stewardshiputah.org