Ben Lowry: Voters in an evenly split Arizona county say why they voted for Donald Trump, Kamala Harris or neither

On Tuesday past, as the US voted in its next president, the reluctance of some schools in Arizona to put up with the disruption of hosting election day led to a mortuary being used in a part of Maricopa county, the most narrowly divided county in the one of the most evenly split states in the entire US.

The News Letter went to the Messinger Indian School Mortuary in Scottsdale, on the outskirts of Phoenix, to ask voters who they had voted for in the race to the White House, and why.

Donald Trump won Maricopa, which includes the Arizona capital Phoenix, in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, and also won the entire state. In 2020 Joe Biden defeated Mr Trump to win back Maricopa, and scraped the state. This year Mr Trump has again won the county, and all of Arizona (counting has not finished in the state but he is the projected victor).

The first person we spoke to was Jenae Ash, is originally from outside the state, like most people in Phoenix and neighbouring Scottsdale. cities that have expanded massively in 20 years.

“I voted for Kamala Harris,” said the Indiana native. Asked if she hesitated in that choice, she replied “I did not”.

Ms Ash was hopeful that Vice President Harris would win Arizona, but added: “I am hopeful because of how it went with Biden the last time but yeah ...I am not sure.”

What was the key issue for Ms Ashe? “Women's rights for sure.”

She was referring to abortion, which has been a tricky issue for Mr Trump since the US Supreme Court, including three justices he appointed, scrapped the federal guarantee to an abortion and sent the issue back to each state to decide. It was thought he might even lose the presidential election due to new state limits on abortion which have upset many American women. But on Tuesday enough Arizona voters separated the issues, with a majority voting for a measure that will guarantee abortion access in the state, while backing Mr Trump for president.

“I voted yes, in ensuring that right for women here,” said Mr Ash.

Another young woman, Vanessa Reyes, emerged from Messinger to say that she had voted the other way in the presidential ballot, for Donald Trump. “I think he is going to make a difference in this country and change things for the better.”

As dusk came at 5pm there was still of queue of voters waiting to cast their votes not just for the presidency, but for sending a representative to the House of Representatives in Congress, as well as a slew of local issues such as school boards and judicial appointments.

A succession of women then emerged to say that they had voted for Harris.

Adella Lechuga, one of Arizona’s new residents, said: “I voted for Kamala Harris. In the last election for Joe Biden.”

She explained: “My main issue is with the Republican Party, I really don't see to eye to eye with them.”

Why so? “A lot of personal things. Religion – which is a big one for me – and their beliefs, I don't like those being pushed on to other people.”

Jada Todd, aged 30, who on finding that she was speaking to a UK newspaper said with pride “I used to live in Manchester”, said she had voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris this time.

“I care about women's reproductive rights,” she said. “That and crimes against humanity from Trump.”

Karen Snodgrass, a dedicated Harris voter, said: “I am on pins and needles. If he wins I will feel a sinking in the pit of my stomach.”

And a young voter Victoria Johnson, walking briskly to her car, paused long enough to tell the News Letter: “I voted for Kamala”. Any doubt? “Nope.”

Mr Trump polled strongly among voters under the age of 30, only a few percentage points behind Ms Harris – a major political shift from 2020 when Mr Biden was far ahead.

As darkness encroached at Messinger, two sets of young Trump voters left the polling station.

Alex, aged 21, said he had thought hard before plumping for the former president. “It was kinda choosing between the lesser of two evils, Kamala saying that she is going to make the rate of living in America more affordable. Well she has been in the vice presidency for four years, and she has done nothing but increase it, but when Trump was in office it was more affordable for me and my grandparents to live here.”

Two first time voters Kama Labanon, 21, and his partner Tamarah Davis, were emphatic in their Trump vote.

Kama said: “I just don't like what they have done in the last four years. I want to be able to buy a house one day and I want closed borders.”

Tamara said: “I believe in everything he stands for. I was born and raised a Christian, and I am against abortion, so make America great again.”

At the other end of the age spectrum, an elderly woman who would only give her first name, Barbara, of a Catholic background in the Midwest (Mr Trump has polled well among American Catholics, who once voted mostly Democratic. said: “I had no doubt whatsoever [about voting Trump]. I voted for him in previous elections too.”

She added. “I want to keep the United States the way it used to be. It is just changing too fast.”

Did she mean too much immigration? “Absolutely”.

Barbara then added: “He's honest, he tells the truth and I look forward for that. He means what he says, he tries very hard and when he was president he did a wonderful job.”

John Cressey, who is 14 years in Arizona, had no doubt “at all” about backing Kamala Harris, as he did Joe Biden.

“First of all I really don't like or trust Trump but I believe in the Democratic Party principles, supporting women's rights and public education primarily, and thinking about those are not as fortunate as others.”

He suspected that, despite Democratic Party activists making “a very above average effort to get out the vote” he thought Donald Trump would win Arizona.

Jess Craighead, although aged only 32, had voted Trump in 2016, 20 and again this week. “I think he is a better fit for the country, and I think we will actually do better under his leadership.

The issues that meant most to him were immigration and tax cuts for the middle class and lower class.

Asked if he had concerns about Mr Trump’s character, Mr Craighead said "There is a bunch of differences between character and actual action.” He said that policies will not be decided “just because he said something bad or irate or out of anger”. And Mr Trump would be surrounded by good people, he added.

But Patrick Vanderbilt did have character concerns. “I do think there should be a certain decorum about a president,” he said.

Mr Vanderbilt was so unhappy with the Trump-Harris choice he wrote in an alternative name, an older libertarian politician called Ron Paul. “I’m not really sure if [Mr Trump] is going to be spending more money next year if we're going into a recession which it does look like at this point.”

But his belief in the need for fiscal discipline was why he was also not supporting Kamala Harris.

Diane Botica, originally from Chicago, said that she had gone “individual by individual” in the various elections. “I did not go straight party.”

So how did she vote for president? “I can’t tell ya.”

She had voted Democrat and Republican in different contests. She said “it is about the issue” and she wants a balanced outcome.

“I read every judicial background, I read everything through this ballot.”​​​​​​​

The last voter the News Letter spoke to was a young man called Joe, ex New Hampshire. “Trump protects our democracy and fights for constitutional principles,” he said.

What about his attempt to overturn the last election? "I would say he exercised his free speech right to doubt the result of that election.”