November 6, 2026
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Crystalyne Curley is leading the Navajo Nation presidential election with an unofficial 1,115-vote margin, according to results from the November 3 general election. If certified, Curley will become the first woman elected President of the Navajo Nation.
Curley and her running mate, Christopher C. Deschene, received 32,094 votes, compared with 30,979 votes for Justin Jones and his running mate, Emily Ellison.
UNOFFICIAL RESULTS — NOT YET CERTIFIED.
The Navajo Election Administration has identified the November 3 results as unofficial. The outcome remains subject to the Nation's election certification process and any properly filed challenges.
November 13, 2026, is the earliest possible certification date under the reported 10-day waiting requirement following the election. The Navajo Board of Election Supervisors has a meeting scheduled for November 12, but an official certification date has not been confirmed.
Jones has refused to concede and has announced plans to challenge the results.
The election represents a historic moment for the largest federally recognized Tribal Nation in the United States. It also follows several years of political disputes, ethics allegations and disagreements within the Navajo Nation government under outgoing President Buu Nygren.
Curley makes history.
Curley brings considerable experience in Navajo Nation government to the presidential race.
She served as Miss Navajo Nation from 2011 to 2012 and subsequently worked as a public information officer in the legislative and executive branches.
In 2022, she was elected to the Navajo Nation Council, representing Tachee/Blue Gap, Many Farms, Nazlini, Tséłání/Cottonwood and Low Mountain.
In January 2023, Council delegates elected her Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, making her the first woman to hold that position. She was serving her second term as Speaker when she entered the presidential race.
During her election-night remarks, Curley emphasized unity, hard work and moving the Nation forward. She acknowledged the historic significance of her election and encouraged supporters to offer prayers for Jones and Ellison.
If the unofficial results are certified, Curley will become the first woman elected President of the Navajo Nation.
Christopher Deschene brings legal and government experience.
Curley's running mate, Christopher C. Deschene, is an attorney, Marine Corps veteran and former Arizona state representative.
He previously sought the Navajo Nation presidency in 2014. His candidacy was disqualified before the general election following a dispute over the Navajo language proficiency requirement.
His return to the presidential race alongside Curley brought renewed attention to the earlier controversy.
Jones refuses to concede.
Jones, a Farmington, New Mexico, attorney, finished first in the July 2026 presidential primary, with Curley placing second. Incumbent President Buu Nygren finished third and was eliminated from the race.
Following the November general election, Jones announced that he and running mate Emily Ellison would not concede.
He questioned the election results and called for a recount, citing what he described as mathematical discrepancies and concerns about polling procedures.
Subsequent reporting also described the Jones-Ellison campaign's concerns about alleged procedural irregularities and compliance at polling locations.
Those claims have not been established as findings of election misconduct. The Navajo Election Administration's certification process and any properly filed challenges will determine the official outcome.
Nygren's presidency and ethics controversies.
Nygren was elected President in 2022, defeating incumbent President Jonathan Nez. His administration began in January 2023 with promises to address housing, water, electricity, infrastructure and economic development.
His presidency, however, became increasingly contentious amid disputes with Vice President Richelle Montoya, the Navajo Nation Council and other government officials.
Dispute with Vice President Richelle Montoya.
In April 2024, Vice President Richelle Montoya publicly described an incident involving an August 17, 2023, meeting with Nygren. She alleged that his conduct during the meeting constituted sexual harassment.
Nygren disputed her characterization of the encounter.
An independent investigation conducted by outside counsel Eric Dahlstrom of Rothstein Donatelli concluded that Montoya's account of the incident did not constitute sexual harassment under applicable Navajo Nation policies or a criminal violation of Navajo law.
The findings were announced December 16, 2024, by Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch.
The announcement did not end the political controversy. On the same day, the Navajo Nation Council voted 13-6 to remove Branch from office, according to the Associated Press.
Montoya expressed frustration with the investigation and said she wanted to review the complete report. Nygren maintained that the allegations were unfounded.
The dispute contributed to deteriorating relationships within the executive branch and became part of the broader political conflict surrounding Nygren's administration.
Special prosecutor's ethics allegations.
A separate controversy developed in 2025 when Special Prosecutor Kyle T. Nayback investigated allegations involving Nygren's administration.
On November 21, 2025, Nayback filed an ethics complaint alleging violations of the Navajo Nation Ethics in Government Law.
The complaint included allegations that Nygren:
- Used government travel funds to cover lodging and meals for family members.
- Directed staff to misidentify family members as government employees and alter travel documentation.
- Improperly hired his father-in-law, John Blackwater Jr., despite questions about his qualifications.
- Directed subordinates to change employment application information.
- Required government employees to perform personal household responsibilities outside their official duties.
The special prosecutor sought Nygren's removal from office, disqualification from future public service and other penalties.
These were allegations, not judicial findings of wrongdoing.
Additional budget-related allegations in 2026.
The ethics proceedings continued into 2026.
On February 2, Special Prosecutor Nayback filed a second amended complaint alleging six ethics violations involving the 2025 budget process and personnel decisions.
The complaint alleged that Nygren pressured the Navajo Nation controller to authorize transfers of restricted funds into the Office of the President and Vice President operating budget without proper authority.
It further alleged that the controller was terminated after declining to approve the transfers and that a replacement subsequently approved the questioned transfers.
Nygren disputed the allegations. In a February 4 statement, he argued that the Office of Management and Budget had reviewed and approved the budget transfer.
The Navajo Nation District Court dismissed the second amended complaint on May 7, 2026, on procedural grounds, finding that the matter had been brought in the wrong forum.
The court did not decide whether the underlying allegations were true or whether Nygren had violated the Ethics in Government Law.
KJZZ reported May 14 that Nayback intended to refile the matter through the appropriate process.
The distinction is important: the dismissal was not an acquittal on the merits, nor was it a finding that Nygren had committed the alleged violations.
Nygren eliminated in July primary.
Nygren's political future was decided before the November general election.
In the July 21 presidential primary, 16 candidates competed for the opportunity to advance to the general election.
Reported primary results showed:
- Justin Jones: 15,039 votes.
- Crystalyne Curley: 8,546 votes.
- Buu Nygren: 7,410 votes.
Jones and Curley advanced to the November election, ending Nygren's bid for a second term.
Issues facing the incoming administration.
If the unofficial results are certified, Curley and Deschene will inherit a government facing substantial challenges.
Water access, housing, electricity, roads, economic development, public safety and health care remain important concerns throughout the Nation.
The incoming administration will also face the challenge of rebuilding relationships among the executive branch, legislative branch and other Navajo Nation institutions.
Government transparency and public accountability will be important issues following the ethics controversies and prolonged political disputes of recent years.
The election campaign also brought attention to differences over natural resource development and protection of culturally significant places, including Chaco Canyon.
These policy questions will remain relevant as the new administration addresses federal relationships, natural resource decisions and Tribal sovereignty.
A historic election and a contested transition.
Curley's apparent victory represents a historic moment in Navajo Nation leadership. Her background includes experience in both the legislative and executive branches, as well as leadership of the Navajo Nation Council.
However, the narrow election margin and Jones' announced challenge mean the transition remains subject to the Nation's election procedures.
The November 3 results show Curley and Deschene leading by 1,115 votes, but the outcome remains unofficial until certification.
For Navajo citizens, the transition presents an opportunity to assess the direction of their government, the management of public resources and the accountability of elected officials.
The incoming administration will be judged not only by its promises but by its ability to address longstanding community needs and restore confidence in Navajo Nation government.
