President of the Navajo Nation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of the Navajo Nation |
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Great Seal of the Navajo Nation
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| Residence | Window Rock, Arizona |
| Term length | Four years, renewable once |
| Constituting instrument | Navajo Nation Code & Treaty of 1868 |
| Inaugural holder | Peterson Zah |
| Formation | January 15, 1991 |
| Salary | $55,000.00 USD per year |
| Website | Office of the President and Vice President of the Navajo Nation |
The President of the Navajo Nation is like the main leader of the Navajo Nation. This important job is part of the executive branch, which means they help run the government. The President and Vice President are chosen by the people in an election every four years. A president can serve for two terms in a row, but no more.
This role was created in 1991. Before that, the leader was called the Tribal Chairman. For a long time, the person holding this job needed to speak the Navajo language very well. Now, the people who vote decide if a candidate's language skills are good enough.
Contents
Who Becomes President? Understanding the Line of Succession
What happens if the President cannot finish their term? The Navajo Nation has clear rules for this. These rules are called the "line of succession."
What if the President Cannot Serve?
If the President cannot serve, the Vice President steps in. They will act as President for the rest of the term. Or, they serve until the President can return to their duties. This ensures the government keeps running smoothly.
What if Both Leaders Are Absent?
If both the President and Vice President cannot serve, the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council takes over. The Speaker leads the Navajo Nation until a special election can be held. The Speaker also keeps their regular duties while acting as interim President.
Meet the Presidents: Past and Present Leaders
Here is a list of the people who have served as President of the Navajo Nation. You can see when they served and who their Vice President was.
| No. | Image | Name | Term | Party | Election | Vice President | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg) |
Peterson Zah (1937–2023) |
January 15, 1991 – January 10, 1995 |
Democratic | 1990 | Marshall Plummer | ||
| 2 | |
Albert Hale (1950–2021) |
January 10, 1995 – February 19, 1998 |
Democratic | 1994 | Thomas Atcitty | ||
| 3 | |
Thomas Atcitty (1933–2020) |
February 19, 1998 – July 23, 1998 |
Democratic | – | Milton Bluehouse Sr. | ||
| 4 | |
Milton Bluehouse Sr. (1936–2019) |
July 24, 1998 – January 12, 1999 |
Unknown | – | vacant through August 1998 |
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| Frank Chee Willeto | ||||||||
| 5 | |
Kelsey Begaye (1951–2021) |
January 12, 1999 – January 14, 2003 |
Democratic | 1998 | Taylor McKenzie | ||
| 6 | .jpg) |
Joe Shirley Jr. (born 1947) |
January 14, 2003 – January 11, 2011 |
Democratic | 2002 | Frank Dayish | ||
| 2006 | Ben Shelly | |||||||
| 7 |  |
Ben Shelly (1947–2023) |
January 11, 2011 – May 12, 2015 |
Democratic | 2010 | Rex Lee Jim | ||
| 8 |  |
Russell Begaye (born TBA) |
May 12, 2015 – January 15, 2019 |
Democratic | 2014–15 | Jonathan Nez | ||
| 9 | .jpg) |
Jonathan Nez (born 1975) |
January 15, 2019 – January 10, 2023 |
Democratic | 2018 | Myron Lizer | ||
| 10 |  |
Buu Nygren (born 1986) |
January 10, 2023 – present |
Democratic | 2022 | Richelle Montoya | ||
This timeline shows how long each President of the Navajo Nation lived and when they were in office. It helps us see the history of this important role.
Related Topics
- Vice President of the Navajo Nation
- Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council
- Navajo Nation Council
