2018 Navajo Nation presidential election

The Navajo Nation presidential election of 2018 was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.^[1] The candidates for President of the Navajo Nation in the general election were Jonathan Nez and Joe Shirley, Jr.^[2] Jonathan Nez and running mate Myron Lizer won the election.^[3] Although neither Nez nor Shirley were incumbents, they possessed the high name recognition associated with incumbents.^[4]

2018 Navajo Nation Presidential Election

← 2014–15 August 28, 2018 (Primary) November 6, 2018 (Run off) 2022 →
Turnout	66.53%
Candidate Jonathan Nez Joe Shirley, Jr Running mate Myron Lizer Buu Nygren Popular vote 41,261 20,751 Percentage 66.54% 33.46%
President before election Russell Begaye Elected President Jonathan Nez

The primary election was held on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 between 18 candidates for the office of Navajo Nation President.^[5]

Candidates

Advanced to general election

• Joe Shirley, Jr. former Navajo Nation President (2003-2011), vying for a third term.
  • Buu Nygren, USC student.
• Jonathan Nez, is the incumbent Vice-President of the Navajo Nation under Russell Begaye.
  • Myron Lizer, an entrepreneur at Fort Defiance, AZ/Coalmine, NM.

Eliminated in primary

• Benny Bahe
• Russell Begaye, incumbent president of the Navajo Nation.
• Tom Chee, incumbent council delegate of the Shiprock Chapter.
• Calvin Lee, Jr.
• Vincent H. Yazzie
• Rex Lee Jim, former vice-president of the Navajo Nation (2011-2015)
• Norman Patrick Brown
• Trudie Jackson
• Shawn Redd
• Alton Joe Shepherd
• Emily Ellison
• Tom Tso
• Kevin Cody
• Hope MacDonald Lonetree
• Nick X. Taylor
• Dineh Benally

Results

A referendum for a salary increase^[6] for President and Vice-President did not pass with 39,026 votes against and 19,439 votes for.^[7]

Candidate	Running mate	Primary		General
		Votes	%	Votes	%
Jonathan Nez	Myron Lizer	14,397	28.85	41,261	66.54
Joe Shirley, Jr.	Buu Nygren	6,871	13.77	20,751	33.46
Tom Chee	—	6,426	12.88
Dineh Benally	—	5,262	10.55
Russell Begaye	—	3,939	7.89
Tom Tso	—	3,442	6.90
Hope MacDonald Lonetree	—	2,387	4.78
Alton Joe Shepherd	—	1,784	3.58
Emily Ellison	—	1,259	2.52
Calvin Lee, Jr.	—	1,217	2.44
Rex Lee Jim	—	964	1.93
Shawn Redd	—	502	1.01
Norman Patrick Brown	—	405	0.81
Nick X. Taylor	—	371	0.74
Trudie Jackson	—	230	0.46
Benny Bahe	—	160	0.32
Vincent H. Yazzie	—	155	0.31
Kevin Cody	—	126	0.25
Total		49,897	100.00	62,012	100.00
Valid votes		49,897	98.60	62,012	98.21
Invalid/blank votes		711	1.40	1,132	1.79
Total votes		50,608	100.00	63,144	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		88,007	57.50	94,916	66.53
Source: [8][9][7]