In Arizona, these young Native American voters seize their political power

Young and Native voters could make or break the 2024 election in Arizona for President Biden. Four years ago, both groups helped Biden win the state by just 11,400 votes, making him the first Democratic candidate to carry Arizona in over 20 years.

This year, these voters are expected to not only be influential in the race for the White House but also for control of Congress.

In between, there are young, Native voters deciding how to use their electoral power.

But strategists and politicians familiar with organizing Native voters agree: more needs to be done to court this significant voting bloc.

"Native voters are powerful, and we can't be ignored anymore. We've shown that," said Jaynie Parrish, executive director of Arizona Native Vote. Parrish is part of the Navajo Nation. "And we just need other people to meet us where we are and get on board."

The battleground state is home to 22 federally recognized Native tribes and nations. The U.S. Census estimates that more than 300,000 people in Arizona identify as Native American. Each tribal government and community, whether it's rural or urban, has its own unique governance, history and challenges to participating in state and federal elections.

"We are fighting against structures that weren't built for us... They weren't meant for us there. They were trying to kill us all. We're not supposed to be here," Parrish said. "We're not supposed to be voters."

Organizers say challenges remain with outreach from the Democratic and Republican parties.

Outreach that