Six Utah Diné Chapters have higher than average voter turnout for Navajo Nation elections

by David Boyle
News Director
Navajo Nation General Election were certified by the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors on Tuesday, November 22.
The results of the election include a new president for the Navajo Nation from the Red Mesa Chapter, as well as the first woman vice-president of the Navajo Nation.
Results also saw one Navajo Nation Council incumbent from Utah re-elected and two new representatives for Utah Diné elected to the council. 
Information published by the Navajo Election Administration offers a more detailed look at the results of the November election.
In the Navajo Nation Presidential election candidate Buu Nygren and running mate Richelle Montoya won 52.58-percent of the vote on the Navajo Nation while Incumbent Jonathan Nez and Chad Abeyta earned 47.32-percent of the vote.
Six of the seven Utah Chapters voted for Nygren at a rate higher than the rest of the Navajo Nation. In fact, Nygren’s three-greatest margins of victory came from Utah Chapters. 
Not surprisingly Nygren won his home chapter of Red Mesa by the largest margin winning 76.32-percent of the vote. Nygren also won Mexican Water chapter by 72.38-percent and Dennehotso by 70.14-percent. 
Nygren also was preferred by voters in Aneth (65.52-percent) Teecnospos (59.81-percent), and Oljato (55.21-percent).
Voters in the Naa’Tsis’Aan (Navajo Mountain) Chapter preferred Incumbent Jonathan Nez who earned 55.73-percent of their vote.
Navajo Nation voters also selected delegates to the Navajo Nation Council.
Incumbent Herman M. Daniels was re-elected to the council defeating Henry “Hank” Stevens to represent the Tsah Bii Kin, Naa’Tsis’Aan, Shonto, and Oljato Chapters. Daniels earned 53.85-percent of the vote across the represented area. 
Daniels won both Utah chapters although Stevens kept the margin closer in those chapters. Daniels earned 53.58-percent of the vote in Oljato and 51.88-percent of the vote in Naa’Tsis’Aan, just three votes more than Stevens among Navajo Mountain voters.
Also elected to the Navajo Nation Council was Curtis Yanito. Yanito defeated Davis Filfred to represent Mexican Water, Tolikan, Teec Nos Pos, Aneth, and Red Mesa Chapters. Yanito earned 58.59-percent of the vote.
Yanito won each of the four Utah Chapters including Mexican Water (64.78-percent) TeecNosPos (61.11-percent), Aneth (55.9-percent), and Red Mesa (54.61-percent).
Also elected to the Navajo Nation Council was Shaandiin Parrish who defeated Incumbent Nathaniel Brown to represent Chilchinbeto, Kayenta and Dennehotso Chapters.
While Parrish earned 52.56-percent of the vote in the representative area, Dennehotso voters actually preferred her opponent. Brown earned 52.02-percent of the vote.
An unofficial turnout voter participation report released by the Navajo Election Administration showed that 53.03-percent of 123,359 registered Navajo Nation voters cast ballots in the 2022 election.
Turnout was higher than the Navajo Nation’s average at six of the seven Utah Chapters including Dennehotso (62.40-percent), Teec Nos Pos (57.21-percent) Red Mesa (54.74-percent), Oljato (54.41-percent), Mexican Water (54.38-percent) Aneth (54.29-percent). 
The unofficial report listed zero votes cast among the 676 registered voters in the Naa’Tsis’Aan chapter but another report shows 323 ballots cast in the presidential election which would be a 47.78-percent turnout.

San Juan Record

49 South Main St
PO Box 879
Monticello, UT 84535

Phone: 435.587.2277
Fax: 435.587.3377
news@sjrnews.com
Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday