The Navajo Nation’s pool of 17 presidential candidates will be drastically narrowed on Tuesday. Only the top two vote getters in the tribal primary will advance to the general election.
Those vying for the Navajo Nation presidency are diverse. The pool includes seasoned politicians, the sitting president and even some political newcomers.
The platforms they’re running on range from securing water rights to supporting traditional tribal culture and improving the reservation’s business climate.
The office of the president is the Nation’s top elected office, though the position is considered by many to be less powerful than the Navajo Nation Council.
Right now, about 114,000 Navajo tribal members are registered to vote in the upcoming election.