2006 Navajo Nation presidential election

The Navajo Nation Presidential elections took place on November 7, 2006. Primary elections took place on August 8, 2006. Incumbent President Joe Shirley Jr. was re-elected, defeating 11 candidates, including former New Mexico State senator Lynda Lovejoy.

2006 Navajo Nation Election

← 2002 8 August 2006 (Primary) 6 November 2006 (Run off) 2010 →

Nominee Joe Shirley Jr. Lynda Lovejoy Running mate Ben Shelly Walter Phelps Popular vote 34,945 30,653 Percentage 53.27% 46.73% Home Town Chinle Crownpoint Chapters Carried 75 0

President before election Joe Shirley Jr. President Joe Shirley Jr.

Candidates

• Frank Dayish Jr., then vice-president of the Navajo Nation announced his bid for president on May 6, 2006 at the Shiprock Chapter as 450 concern Diné.
• Lynda Lovejoy, a former New Mexico state representative, declared her candidancy on April 1, 2006, at the Crownpoint Chapter House in Crownpoint, New Mexico.
• Calvin Tsosie, from Yatahey, New Mexico
• Frank Dayish, from Shiprock, New Mexico
• Lynda Lovejoy, from Crownpoint, New Mexico
• Ernest H Begay, from Rock Point, Arizona
• James Henderson, from Ganado, Arizona
• Wilbur Nelson
• Harrison Todichiini, from Shiprock, New Mexico
• Vern Lee, from Kirtland, New Mexico
• Joe Shirley Jr., from Chinle, Arizona

Results

Shirley Jr. (Chinle) and Lovejoy (Crownpoint) proceeded to a runoff in November 2007. This was he first time in Navajo government history that a woman made it to the runoff. Immediately after the first round, Mrs. Lovejoy selected Walter Phelps from Leupp, Arizona as her running mate to challenge Shirley, who picked Navajo Nation Council Delegate Ben Shelly (Thoreau).

Shirley defeated Lovejoy in the second round by a margin of 4,000. Becoming the first leader of the Navajo nation to be re-elected since Chairman Peter MacDonald.

Candidate	Running mate	Primary		General
		Votes	%	Votes	%
Joe Shirley, Jr.	Ben Shelly	12,987	27.77	34,945	53.27
Lynda Lovejoy	Walter Phelps	10,513	22.48	30,653	46.73
Frank Dayish, Jr.	—	8,082	17.28
Ernest Harry Begay	—	7,820	16.72
Vern Roy Lee	—	2,749	5.88
James Henderson, Jr.	—	2,565	5.48
Hoskie Bryant	—	745	1.59
Calvin H. Tsosie, Sr.	—	585	1.25
Harrison Todacheene	—	282	0.60
Wilbur Nelson, Jr.	—	273	0.58
Jon C. Reeves	—	165	0.35
Total		46,766	100.00	65,598	100.00
Valid votes		46,766	99.60	65,598	99.53
Invalid/blank votes		189	0.40	308	0.47
Total votes		46,955	100.00	65,906	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		96,582	48.62	100,525	65.56
Source: [1]