Navajo Nation certifies 123 candidates, multiple delegate races still unsettled

Apache County voters who follow Navajo Nation races still do not have a final ballot picture for more than a dozen Council delegate contests, because three grievances and one disqualification remain before the Office of Hearings and Appeals. The Navajo Election Administration certified 123 candidates for the July 21 primary, but that list can still change, which means some voters in Window Rock, Chinle and St. Michaels may not yet know exactly which names will be in front of them when they vote.

The certification was completed on Friday, April 24, 2026, and the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors posted the public notice on April 27. The notice, signed by Dr. Victoria Yazzie, said a complete list of official and certified candidates is available through the Navajo Election Administration. The administration also listed 1-800-775-VOTE (8683) as a candidate-support contact number.

That unresolved status matters because the challenges are not symbolic. If the Office of Hearings and Appeals upholds a grievance or alters a disqualification, a candidate can be added, removed or restored, changing who appears on the ballot in delegate districts that represent communities across Apache County and the broader Navajo Nation. For many voters, especially those in chapters that routinely press for better water access, roads, schools, housing and public safety, the delegate race is the direct line to the Navajo Nation Council.

The grievance process is the reason the certification cannot yet be treated as final. The Election Administration has already made its official list, but the hearing office still has to rule on the outstanding disputes before the race field is fully settled. In practical terms, the April certification was a step in the election calendar, not the end of it.

The timing adds another layer for Apache County residents. Arizona moved its 2026 primary to July 21, shifting it from the first Tuesday in August under a law signed on February 6, 2026. Apache County Elections still administers federal, state and county races separately from Navajo Nation contests, but the matching date means voters will see the tribal primary and the state primary moving on the same calendar for the first time this cycle.

That makes the June 24 voter-registration deadline especially important. The Arizona Secretary of State says that is the last day to register for the July 21 primary at 11:59 p.m. As the hearings continue, the risk is not just confusion over names on the ballot. It is also uncertainty about whether voters will feel confident the field is settled before they are asked to choose who will represent them in the Navajo Nation Council.