Curley Wins Navajo Nation Presidency as Jones Seeks Recount
Unofficial results put Crystalyne Curley, a former presiding officer of the Navajo Nation Council, and her running mate, Chris Deschene, ahead in the November 3 presidential election. They received 32,094 votes, compared with 30,979 for Justin Jones and his running mate, Emily Ellison—a margin of 1,115 votes.
The result would make Curley the first woman to lead the Navajo Nation. In 2023, she made history as the first woman to hold the speakership of the Council, which has 24 members. At an election-night gathering in Fort Defiance, she said the result showed Navajo girls and women what is possible.
Jones said he would not concede and is seeking a recount. He questioned the close results from 110 voting sites in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, and alleged mathematical errors. He said he planned a legal challenge; the results remain unofficial.
Outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley, expressed hope for her new administration’s success and thanked Jones for presenting his vision.
Curley has said her administration will focus on safer communities, family well-being, public safety, economic growth and mental health. The Navajo Nation spans more than 27,000 square miles across three states, and communities face shortages of running water and electricity.
Curley’s Historic Win Opens Navajo Nation’s Top Office to Women
An unofficial 1,115-vote lead puts Crystalyne Curley on course to become the first woman president of the Navajo Nation. The former presiding officer of the Navajo Nation Council and running mate Chris Deschene received 32,094 votes, while Justin Jones and Emily Ellison received 30,979.
Curley’s win marks another milestone after she became the first woman to hold the speakership of the 24-member Council in 2023. At her election-night gathering, she spoke about the possibilities the result could represent for Navajo girls and women.
Jones says he will not concede and is demanding a recount, questioning tallies from the Nation’s 110 polling places. His allegations of mathematical errors remain claims as the results are still unofficial. A challenge to a close result should be resolved through the election process, not treated as proof of wrongdoing.
Outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley and wished her administration success. Curley has said she intends to prioritize community safety, family well-being, public safety, economic growth and mental health.
The challenges facing the incoming administration are substantial: the Nation covers more than 27,000 square miles in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, where communities face shortages of running water and electricity. Curley’s stated focus puts those community needs at the center of her leadership agenda.
Close Navajo Nation Vote Faces Recount Challenge as Results Remain Unofficial
The Navajo Nation presidential race remains unsettled after a close vote: unofficial results show Crystalyne Curley and Chris Deschene with 32,094 votes, against 30,979 for Justin Jones and Emily Ellison. Jones says he will not concede and is demanding a recount.
Jones questioned the tallies at 110 voting sites in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, alleging mathematical errors and promising a legal challenge. Those claims have not changed the unofficial result, but they make a full accounting important before the outcome is treated as final.
Curley, the former speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, would become the first woman president. Her historic milestone is significant, but it does not erase the need to address the challenge through the election process. The results remain unofficial.
Outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley and wished her incoming administration well, while also acknowledging Jones’s vision. Curley has said her priorities include public safety, economic growth, family well-being and mental health.
The next administration will face practical needs across a reservation spanning more than 27,000 square miles in three states, including shortages of running water and electricity. Those responsibilities make both a credible election outcome and attention to community services consequential.
