• Slug: Kern River Dewatering. 1,080 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Emery Davis
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES – Thousands of dead fish have been left behind in the waterbed where the Kern River sometimes flows through Bakersfield – not due to drought but to maintenance by the city water department that added to accusations of mismanagement.

Those claims were brought to Superior Court in a 2022 lawsuit by multiple environmental advocacy organizations. In October, Bakersfield argued against the claims, asserting it is not solely responsible for the dewatering of the Kern River.

Continue reading “Bakersfield lawsuit continues as Kern River water management that left fish dead comes under fire”

All content from our live election blog is available for use on our retail site here. Please credit the relevant journalists and Cronkite News. Photos from our Election Day coverage at polling places, watch parties and beyond are available below:

Continue reading “Photos from Election Day and night”

• Slug: Ride to the Polls. 685 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Brianna Chappie
Cronkite News

WHITERIVER – Kaia Aiello, 20, sat on top of her horse, Amoureux, Tuesday and prepared to lead a group to the only polling location in this small town on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation so they could cast votes in the 2024 presidential election.

Aiello is a field organizer for Arizona Native Vote, a nonprofit organization that seeks to amplify Indigenous voices in rural communities throughout Arizona, including on Hopi and Navajo land and the three other federally recognized Apache nations in Arizona.

Continue reading “White Mountain Apache members participate in ‘Ride to the Polls’ movement”

• Slug: Navajo Nation Elections. 1,215 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Marshall Baker
Cronkite News

NAVAJO NATION – On a brisk Tuesday election morning, thousands in the Navajo Nation lined up at precincts and chapter houses to cast their votes in the general and Navajo Nation elections. As ballots were counted and numbers updated throughout the day, the overall feeling was excitement, but there was still uncertainty among voters as voting came to an end.

Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump set up camp outside voting sites and provided donuts, coffee and many campaign flyers to help spread their respective messages.

Continue reading “Voters in Navajo Nation face polling issues on Election Day; Apache County extends voting hours”

• Slug: Ballot Measures Roundup. 1,050 words.
• Photo available.

By Hayden Larkin
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Arizona voters have been swarmed with a plethora of ballot measures. The two most controversial proposals got the lion’s share of attention: Proposition 314, to expand immigration enforcement, and Proposition 139, to codify abortion rights in the state constitution.

But the other 11 proposals would also impact the people of Arizona. Here’s a breakdown of what voters are weighing in on:

Continue reading “Arizona statewide ballot measures 2024 guide: Voters decide on 13 propositions”

• Slug: U.S. Senate. 1,090 words.
• Photo available.

By Phineas Hogan
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – In a showdown between MAGA and Democrats, Arizona voters faced a choice Tuesday between Donald Trump-backed Kari Lake and Phoenix Congressman Ruben Gallego for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.

The race is one of a handful of tossups nationwide that will determine control of the Senate.

Continue reading “Senate fight between Ruben Gallego and Trump ally Kari Lake tests MAGA appeal against Democrats’ growing hold on Arizona”

• Slug: Prop. 314. 1,470 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Mia Osmonbekov and Kelechukwu Iruoma
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – One of the most closely watched fights in Arizona on Election Day is over a ballot measure giving state and local police the power to arrest undocumented immigrants – the latest volley in a decades-long effort by conservatives dissatisfied with federal enforcement.

Critics have warned that Proposition 314 would lead to racial profiling and harassment of migrants and U.S. citizens alike. Many have viewed it as an attempt to revive the controversial 2010 Arizona law known as Senate Bill 1070, which was largely struck down in court.

Continue reading “Proposition 314 would let police in Arizona arrest undocumented immigrants, stoking fears of racial profiling”

• Slug: Prop. 139. 1,070 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Amelia Monroe and Macy Markham
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – A battle over abortion rights in Arizona came to a head Tuesday. Proposition 139 would codify the right to abortion through fetal viability – roughly nine weeks beyond the state’s current 15-week ban.

Opponents call it radical. Backers say the 15-week ban endangers women with complications later in pregnancy and have demanded a return to the more expansive rights ensured for decades by the U.S. Supreme Court.

By midnight, with half of Arizona’s votes counted, the yes votes held a healthy lead.

Continue reading “Arizona abortion initiative Proposition 139 mobilizes advocates, highlights tension over reproductive rights”

• Slug: Arizona Presidential. 1,200 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Grace Monos and Gabrielle Wallace
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Four years ago, just over 10,000 votes separated the winner and loser in Arizona’s presidential race. The state is one of seven battlegrounds destined to decide the outcome in 2024, too.

Polls remained tight until the end between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

By 12:30 a.m. MST Wednesday, Trump led Harris 267 to 214 in the electoral count on the quest to 270 with all but two of the swing states called in Trump’s favor by the Associated Press. Some major television networks called the race in favor of Trump, and he declared victory to a room full of supporters at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

Arizona had not yet been called, and the margin between the two candidates in the state remained razor thin with about half the state’s votes counted.

Continue reading “Arizona’s 2024 presidential election: Harris and Trump battled for crucial swing state”

• Slug: U.S. House Arizona. 650 words.
• File photo available.

By Madeline Nguyen and Miguel Ambriz
Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Two of the nation’s most competitive congressional races are in Arizona, with Democrats trying to unseat seven-term Rep. David Schweikert of Fountain Hills and first-term Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Tucson.

The contests were among the Democrats’ best opportunities to pick up seats in their bid to flip control of the House, where Republicans have held a razor-thin majority.

Continue reading “Arizona Reps. Juan Ciscomani and David Schweikert fight to keep U.S. House seats against Democrats Kirsten Engel and Amish Shah”

• Slug: Indigenous Voters. 2,130 words.
• Photos available.

By Brianna Chappie
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Many Native Americans have long felt like politicians overlook them, but both parties are seeking Native Americans’ votes more than ever before – and they could hold the key to the outcome of the presidential election.

Continue reading “‘Native voters can and will decide this election’: Parties fight to secure Native American votes”

• Slug: Maricopa County Elections. 490 words.
• Photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Keller Brown

PHOENIX – Voters have many questions about the 2024 general election. Whether or not their early ballot will be counted in time to questions on security at voting centers, Maricopa County is preparing for all of it.

Around 55% of total ballots will drop immediately after 8 p.m. on election night, which is on par with previous elections in Maricopa County. For those who participated in early voting wondering when their ballot will be reported, around 75% of returns from early ballots will be available after 8 p.m.

Continue reading “Maricopa County working around the clock to make sure Election Day goes smoothly”