Navajo Nation elects Crystalyne Curley first woman president by 1,115 votes

Crystalyne Curley is set to become the first woman president of the Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in the country by land area ¹. She leads her opponent, Justin Jones, by 1,115 votes in unofficial results ¹².

Curley and running mate Chris Deschene received 32,094 votes. Jones and running mate Emily Ellison received 30,979 ². The count comes from the Navajo Election Administration ².

On tapeABC15 Arizona · Nov 5

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Jones says he will fight the result

Under Navajo Nation election law, results are considered unofficial for ten days after November 3 ¹. Jones has not conceded and says he will launch a legal challenge, according to the Navajo-Hopi Observer, as reported by The 19th ¹.

KNAU, a public radio station in Flagstaff, Arizona, reports that Jones is calling for a recount ². He said the tallies from the tribe's 110 polling places show "dark, grey mathematical errors" that seem too close ². The reports do not say a lawsuit has been filed or that any court has ruled.

Outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley on social media. He wished her and her incoming administration success and thanked Jones for sharing his vision ².

And to the little girls that are out there, shíyázhí, anything is possible.

Who Curley is

Curley was already the first woman to serve as council speaker, the head of the Nation's legislative branch. Council members voted her into that role in 2023 ¹. She has worked on water rights, uranium contamination and voter rights ¹.

On tapeArizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5) · Nov 5

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Her campaign website lists behavioral health services, affordable housing programs and workforce development as priorities. It also lists protecting Diné culture and sovereignty. Diné is the Navajo people's name for themselves ¹.

Curley told Indian Country Today, a nonprofit news outlet, that she brings her perspective as a mom to the job ¹. The Nation spans northeastern Arizona and parts of New Mexico and Utah. It has the second-largest number of enrolled tribal members of any tribe nationwide ¹.

The Seneca Nation of Indians in New York also elected its first woman president, Tina Abrams. She previously served two terms on that Nation's council ¹.

Why it matters

That matters because women have long held top tribal posts, so the milestone is not a sign that tribal nations lacked women leaders. Wilma Mankiller became principal chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985 ¹. The nonprofit RepresentWomen found that in 2020 at least 78 tribal nations had reached or exceeded gender parity in their legislatures ¹.

What happens next is a waiting period. Candidates can challenge the count before the results become official, and Jones has said he will do so ¹². Until the Nation certifies the vote, Curley's win remains unofficial.

The result is also a test of how a close tribal election is settled under the Nation's own laws. Those laws, and the Nation's right to apply them, are part of the tribal sovereignty Curley has said she will protect ¹.

The Record

1. Jan 1, 2023Curley became the first woman to serve as Navajo Nation Council speaker after council members voted her into the role ¹.
2. Nov 3, 2026Navajo Nation voters went to the polls; unofficial results show Curley ahead of Jones by 1,115 votes, 32,094 to 30,979 ¹².
3. Nov 5, 2026KNAU reports Jones is not conceding and is calling for a recount, while outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley ².

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<h2>Navajo Nation elects Crystalyne Curley first woman president by 1,115 votes</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/navajo-nation-elects-crystalyne-curley-first-woman-president-by-1-115-votes">The GOP Files</a> on Friday, November 6, 2026.</em></p> <p>Crystalyne Curley is set to become the first woman president of the Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in the country by land area . She leads her opponent, Justin Jones, by 1,115 votes in unofficial results .</p> <p>Curley and running mate Chris Deschene received 32,094 votes. Jones and running mate Emily Ellison received 30,979 . The count comes from the Navajo Election Administration .</p> <h2>Jones says he will fight the result</h2> <p>Under Navajo Nation election law, results are considered unofficial for ten days after November 3 . Jones has not conceded and says he will launch a legal challenge, according to the Navajo-Hopi Observer, as reported by The 19th .</p> <p>KNAU, a public radio station in Flagstaff, Arizona, reports that Jones is calling for a recount . He said the tallies from the tribe&#39;s 110 polling places show &quot;dark, grey mathematical errors&quot; that seem too close . The reports do not say a lawsuit has been filed or that any court has ruled.</p> <p>Outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley on social media. He wished her and her incoming administration success and thanked Jones for sharing his vision .</p> <blockquote><p>And to the little girls that are out there, shíyázhí, anything is possible.</p><p>&mdash; Crystalyne Curley, Navajo Nation president-elect (unofficial results), council speaker</p></blockquote> <h2>Who Curley is</h2> <p>Curley was already the first woman to serve as council speaker, the head of the Nation&#39;s legislative branch. Council members voted her into that role in 2023 . She has worked on water rights, uranium contamination and voter rights .</p> <p>Her campaign website lists behavioral health services, affordable housing programs and workforce development as priorities. It also lists protecting Diné culture and sovereignty. Diné is the Navajo people&#39;s name for themselves .</p> <p>Curley told Indian Country Today, a nonprofit news outlet, that she brings her perspective as a mom to the job . The Nation spans northeastern Arizona and parts of New Mexico and Utah. It has the second-largest number of enrolled tribal members of any tribe nationwide .</p> <p>The Seneca Nation of Indians in New York also elected its first woman president, Tina Abrams. She previously served two terms on that Nation&#39;s council .</p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>That matters because women have long held top tribal posts, so the milestone is not a sign that tribal nations lacked women leaders. Wilma Mankiller became principal chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985 . The nonprofit RepresentWomen found that in 2020 at least 78 tribal nations had reached or exceeded gender parity in their legislatures .</p> <p>What happens next is a waiting period. Candidates can challenge the count before the results become official, and Jones has said he will do so . Until the Nation certifies the vote, Curley&#39;s win remains unofficial.</p> <p>The result is also a test of how a close tribal election is settled under the Nation&#39;s own laws. Those laws, and the Nation&#39;s right to apply them, are part of the tribal sovereignty Curley has said she will protect .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/navajo-nation-elects-crystalyne-curley-first-woman-president-by-1-115-votes">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/navajo-nation-elects-crystalyne-curley-first-woman-president-by-1-115-votes.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The 19th, “The Navajo Nation is set to have its first woman president” (2026-11-06). 19thnews.org/2026/11/crystalyne-curley-navajo-nation-woman-p
2. KNAU, “Navajo Nation elects first female president. Her opponent is calling for a recount” (2026-11-05). knau.org/knau-and-arizona-news/2026-11-05/navajo-nation-elec

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