Navajo Election Officials Outline Council Vacancy Process, Eastern Agency Vacancies, Plan 5

Navajo Nation Election Administration officials briefed stakeholders on Feb. 26, 2026, about the process to fill a recently vacated Navajo Nation Council seat and a concurrent surge of chapter and school‑board vacancies across the Eastern Navajo Agency, with filing dates for the listed openings set for April 11, 2025 through April 24, 2025. The briefing coincided with a Navajo Nation Council release clarifying the Speaker’s authority and the Election Administration’s certification role for any interim appointee.

The Council release cites the Election Code and the Legislative Branch’s recent changes to Title 11, and states the Council may “select and appoint an interim Delegate from the precinct until the vacancy is filled by special election and the new Delegate takes office.” The release also says, “The interim Delegate would be required to meet qualifications and shall only be certified after a review by the Navajo Election Administration.” The release quotes Section 144 of Title II: “Whenever there is a vacancy in a Council Delegate position during the first half of the term of office, at the request of the affected Chapter or Chapters within a precinct, the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council may select and appoint an interim Delegate from the precinct [...]” and cites Title 11, Section 8 on automatic removal following certain convictions.

Reapportionment developments ran in parallel: the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors developed multiple draft plans and recommended Plan 5, with Plans 3 and 4 as alternates. The plans were based primarily on 2020 federal census data, while earlier drafts reviewed registered voter data and off‑reservation voters. Public hearings were held across all five agencies from Oct. 27 through Oct. 31, 2025. Delegate Arbin Mitchell sponsored Legislation No. 0001‑26 and presented with Larry Rodgers of the Commission on Navajo Government Development and Dr. Victoria Yazzie, Chair Pro Tem for the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors; Delegate Mitchell said, “Reapportionment is a legal responsibility that ensures every Navajo voter has fair and balanced representation,” The Naabik’iyati’ Committee approved Legislation No. 0001‑26 with a vote of 15 in favor and 2 opposed, and the measure will move forward to the Navajo Nation Council. A special session is being scheduled before a March 13 deadline to finalize a plan ahead of a potential primary election date change to July 21; the Facebook summary presenting those scheduling items did not specify the year.

The Navajoelections posting reproduced the detailed vacancy roll and repeated the April 11–24, 2025 filing window. Chinle Agency entries included: BLACKMESA - Grazing Committee Member; HARDROCK - President; NAZLINI - President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer; TSAILE/WHEATFIELDS - 2- Farm Board members; and a note that other Chinle Agency items appear later under school board positions. Eastern Navajo Agency entries included: OJOENCINO - 1- Land Board - AT LARGE COUNSELOR; HUERANO - Secretary/Treasurer; MARIANO LAKE - Vice‑President; NAHODISHGISH - Secretary/Treasurer; PINEDALE - President; PUEBLO PINTADO - President, Secretary/Treasurer; RAMAH - Secretary/Treasurer, Land Board; WHITEHORSE LAKE - Vice President; a truncated “FORT [...] Member”; SHONTO - Secretary/Treasurer; TOLANILAKE - Vice‑President; CHILCHINBETO - Grazing Committee Member; DENNEHOTSO - Grazing Committee Member; OUATO - Grazing Committee Member.

Fort Defiance Agency entries included: CORNFIELDS - Council Vice‑President; GREASEWOOD SPRINGS - Vice President; JEDDITO - Grazing Committee Member; RED LAKE - Farm Board; ST. MICHAELS - President; WIDE RUINS - President; TEESTO - Vice President; TOHATCHI - 1-Farm Board. Northern Agency entries included: NENAHNEZAD - Farm Board; TIISTSHOH SIKAAD - Secretary/Treasurer. Western Navajo Agency entries included: BODAWAY - 3 - Farm Board - AT LARGE; CAMERON COALMINE CANYON TO NANEES DIZI LOCAL GOVERNMENT TONALEA - Grazing Committee Member; SHONTO - Secretary/Treasurer; TOLANILAKE - Vice‑President. The Navajoelections posting contains repeated headers, truncated lines and duplicated entries as presented.

The school and residential facility list on the Navajoelections posting included: Richfield Residential Hall - AGENCY WIDE; Kinlanl Bordertown Dormitory - AGENCY WIDE; Cottonwood Day School / Jeehdeez'a Elementary School; Lukachukai Community School; Many Farms Community School; Many Farms High School; Pinon Community School / Black Mesa Community School; Rocky Ridge Boarding School; Rough Rock Community School; T'iisyaakln Residential Hall; Tse Nltsaa Deez' ahl Dine Bi Olta•; Winslow Residential Hall. Some school board entries carried chapter notes such as “2 .. At Large: Chinle Agency Chapters” and truncated lines like “2-Whippoorwill 1-At Large; Round [...]” exactly as posted.

Practical filing and contact information reproduced in the April posting includes the filing dates April 11, 2025 through April 24, 2025 and agency phone contacts: Fort Defiance Agency (928) 871‑7268; Northern Agency (SOS) 368‑1333; Western Navajo Agency (928) 283‑3220. Legislative Branch media contacts listed in the Council release are Jared Touchin (928) 221‑9253, Jolene Holgate (928) 380‑4174, Crystalyne Curley (928) 286‑7918 and the communications email nnlb.communications@gmail.com.

Several items remain unresolved in the materials Election Administration presented and the Council release cited: the filing roll contains truncated chapter names and duplicated listings that need an unabridged posting; the notation “Northern Agency (SOS) 368‑1333” lacks definition of SOS; the Council release refers to a court action and CJA‑02‑14 without specifying the judicial order; and the March 13 deadline and July 21 potential primary date are presented without a stated year. Officials with the Legislative Branch stated “now that the court has taken action, it is now left to the Navajo Election Administration to address it administratively in accordance with the mandated provisions set forth in CJA‑02‑14.”

With Legislation No. 0001‑26 forwarded to the Navajo Nation Council and Plan 5 recommended by the Board of Election Supervisors, the immediate responsibilities lie with the Navajo Election Administration to certify any interim Delegate per the Election Code excerpt and to manage the April 11–24, 2025 filing window for the many chapter and school‑board vacancies listed.