Ben Shelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Shelly
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| 7th President of the Navajo Nation | |
| In office January 11, 2011 – May 12, 2015 |
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| Vice President | Rex Lee Jim |
| Preceded by | Joe Shirley Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Russell Begaye |
| 5th Vice President of the Navajo Nation | |
| In office January 9, 2007 – January 11, 2011 |
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| President | Joe Shirley Jr. |
| Preceded by | Frank Dayish |
| Succeeded by | Rex Lee Jim |
| Member of the 17th - 20th Navajo Nation Council |
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| In office January 15, 1991 – January 9, 2007 |
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| Succeeded by | Edmund Yazzie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 6, 1947 Thoreau, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 2023 (aged 75) New Mexico, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Martha Shelly |
Ben Shelly (born July 6, 1947 – died March 22, 2023) was an important leader of the Navajo Nation. He served as their 7th president. What's cool is that he was the first person to be elected as both the Vice President and then the President of the Navajo Nation! He was also the first Navajo president from New Mexico. In 2010, people voted for him to become president, and he won against Lynda Lovejoy.
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Early Life and Family
Ben Shelly was born in Thoreau, New Mexico. He belonged to the Tó’aheedlíinii clan, born for the Tsʼah Yiskʼidnii clan. His family connections were also to the Áshįįhí and Táchiiʼnii clans.
He was married to Martha Shelly for 45 years. She is from Coyote Canyon and belongs to the Tábąąhá clan, born for the Tódích’íiʼnii clan. Together, they had five children and ten grandchildren.
Before his political career, Ben Shelly lived in Chicago for 16 years. There, he learned about heavy equipment maintenance and worked as a supervisor. In 1976, he moved back to the Navajo Nation and started his own business, a mechanic shop for vehicles.
Getting Involved in Politics
Ben Shelly started his political journey in 1990. He was the chairman of a group called the Dineh Rights Association. This group worked to protect the rights of the Navajo people.
In 1991, Shelly became a representative for Thoreau on the Navajo Nation Council. This council is like the government's law-making body for the Navajo Nation. In 1993, he supported the idea of allowing legalized gambling in Navajo areas.
During his time on the Council, he was part of important groups like the Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations Committees. He also led the Budget and Finance Committee. For 12 years, he also served as a Commissioner for McKinley County, New Mexico.
He helped create a special group of county officials from different areas with large Native American populations. This group worked together on important issues.
Becoming Vice President
In 2006, Joe Shirley Jr., who was the President of the Navajo Nation at the time, chose Ben Shelly to be his running mate for the presidential election. President Shirley said that Shelly understood the government and the people well. He was sworn in as the Vice President of the Navajo Nation on January 9, 2007.
As Vice President, Shelly worked on important health care issues. He helped make sure that a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood could be used to prove U.S. citizenship for Medicaid services. He also represented the Navajo Nation in discussions about money for programs funded by the U.S. government.
Even though Navajo Nation elections are not officially linked to political parties, Ben Shelly was a registered Democrat. He worked with state leaders in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah to get money for important projects on the Navajo Nation. The Governor of New Mexico even asked him to join a special group focused on tribal economic development.
Shelly also opposed a bill that would have allowed Navajos in San Juan County, Utah, to manage their own resources without the Navajo Nation's direct involvement. He believed the tribe should be in charge.
On November 2, 2010, Ben Shelly won the 2010 Navajo Nation presidential election. He became the first Vice President to be elected President of the Navajo Nation. He was sworn in as president on January 11, 2011.
During his time as president, the Navajo government went through a big change. The Tribal Council, which used to have 88 members, was made smaller after a special election in 2009. Shelly led the Nation during this time of reform.
In the 2010 election, Shelly received 52 percent of the votes, which was 33,692 votes. His opponent, Lynda Lovejoy, received 47 percent of the votes. Many people voted in that election, with nearly 58 percent of eligible voters participating.
Towards the end of his term, President Shelly made some important decisions about bills related to the next presidential election. His term as president was extended by five months because of some issues with the 2014 Navajo Presidential Race. The Shelly-Jim Administration officially ended on May 12, 2015.
In the primary election on August 26, 2014, President Ben Shelly tried to win a second term but did not get enough votes. Former Arizona representative Chris Deschene and former Navajo Nation president Joe Shirley Jr. were supposed to move on to the main election. However, there were problems with the election process, and the Navajo Supreme Court stopped the general election. This caused delays in choosing the next president.
Interim President (2015)
Because of the delays in the 2014 election, Ben Shelly was asked to serve as an interim (temporary) president. This was a unique situation. On May 12, 2015, Ben Shelly and Rex Lee Jim finished their extended term. They then handed over the leadership of the Navajo Nation to the newly elected President, Russell Begaye, and Vice President, Johnathon Nez.
