Flood damage creates voting challenges in San Juan County

BLUFF, San Juan County — Flooding and damaged roads are making it hard for some San Juan County residents to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, leaving election officials scrambling to find solutions.

Bluff Mayor Josh Ewing said road damage has left some residents in communities such as Montezuma Creek unable to leave town to vote. Elsewhere, flooding-related building closures have cut off access to ballot drop boxes.

Some voters may also need replacement ballots after theirs were lost in the flooding.

"I saw floating in the debris, a ballot," Ewing said. "That person is obviously not going to get that ballot to a drop box."

San Juan County Clerk/Auditor Lyman Duncan said voters who lost their ballots can still visit a polling location on Election Day.

"They can bring their driver's license, and we can identify them, and then we can give them a provisional ballot to vote, and it can be recorded later," Duncan said.

However, reaching a polling location or drop box remains a challenge for some residents.

"Because of the storms, the Navajo Nation also closed many of their buildings, and so where we have ballot boxes, people aren't able to get into. So that's complicated things a little bit," Duncan said.

Road closures have added another obstacle.

"Obviously now the highway is closed between Monument Valley and here so I don't know what those people would do. But for anybody that can get to Bluff, we have a ballot drop box here in Bluff," Ewing said.

Duncan said his office is working with the lieutenant governor's office to find solutions for voters affected by the flooding. In the meantime, county election staff are fielding calls and working through problems as Election Day approaches.

"I'm really appreciative of the opportunities and the efforts that the county and state are making to try and allow people have their ability to get to the ballot box and at least get their ballots in on time," Ewing expressed.

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