President of the Navajo Nation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Navajo Nation
Great Seal of the Navajo Nation
Incumbent Buu Nygren since January 10, 2023
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 the leader of the Navajo Nation government. This important job is like being the chief executive, similar to a state governor or a country's president. The office was created in 1991 when the Navajo government was reorganized.

Both the President and the Vice President are chosen by voters every four years. A president can serve for a maximum of two terms in a row.

Before 2016, a person running for president had to be able to speak the Navajo language fluently. Now, the Navajo voters decide if a candidate's language skills are good enough when they cast their ballots.

Who Takes Over?

Navajo Nation's Line of Succession

The rules for who becomes president if the current one cannot serve are set in the Navajo Nation Code. If the president cannot finish their term, the Vice President steps in. They will serve for the rest of the term or until the president can return to duty.

If both the President and Vice President cannot serve, the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council becomes the acting president. The Speaker continues their duties as Speaker while also serving as interim president until a special election can be held.

Past Presidents

Leaders of the Navajo Nation

Here is a list of the people who have served as President of the Navajo Nation since the office was created.

No.		Image	Name	Term	Party	Election	Vice President
1			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
								Frank Chee Willeto
5			Kelsey Begaye (1951–2021)	January 12, 1999 – January 14, 2003	Democratic	1998		Taylor McKenzie
6			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			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

Timeline

Lifespan and Terms of Office

This chart shows how long each Navajo Nation President lived and when they were in office. They are listed in the order they served.

See Also

• Vice President of the Navajo Nation
• Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council
• Navajo Nation Council