Road closures from potentially deadly flooding may deter Arizona voters

Massive flooding in Arizona over the weekend turned dangerous after a possible drowning in the city of Flagstaff was announced Sunday.

Flagstaff first responders said they were continuing to search for a man who disappeared into floodwaters around 6 p.m. Sunday. Someone reported seeing the man lose his footing near fast-moving water and fall in. The witness did not see him resurface, according to officials. Flagstaff officials urged residents to stay home and avoid travel, adding that the water was more dangerous than it appeared. They said that an adult could be knocked off his or her feet by only six inches of moving water.

Where is most of the flooding? Most of the flooding is localized across northern and central Arizona, where other towns reported road closures, evacuation orders, and extensive flooding. Low-lying areas in Sedona, Camp Verde, and other communities were ordered evacuated on Nov. 1, with flood warnings across Yavapai, Gila, Apache, and Navajo counties.

Will this affect voting access? Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ office posted on the secretary of state’s website a warning that flooding could affect roads and access to voting locations. He advised voters to check for updates before traveling to the polls.