Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Daniels wins Nez seat

SHONTO, Ariz.

Oljato-Monument Valley, Utah’s chapter president unofficially won the special elections on June 30, denying three top delegate contenders and four others a chance on the 23rd Navajo Nation Council.

Unofficially, Herman Daniels Jr. won by 329 votes, according to voter registration specialist Sally Tohannie at the Western Navajo Agency Election Office.

While there are less than 10 challenge votes still pending, Tohannie said the delegate-elect will be sworn in after the results are certified, which is until after July 10. The pending votes however won’t make a difference to any of the voting numbers.

Elections began late May, after former delegate Jonathan Nez was elected vice president of the Navajo Nation. And since then nine individuals filed applications for candidacy, expressing interest in representing Naatsis’áán, Oljato-Monument Valley, Shonto, and Ts’ahbiikin — the four chapters in north Western Navajo collectively known as “NOST,” an area Daniels took over after his late father Herman Daniels Sr., a former delegate from 2000 to 2008, passed on.

Special Elections unofficial results

  • Herman Daniels Jr. (Oljato-Monument Valley) — 329 votes
  • Felix R. Fuller (Shonto) — 295 votes
  • Joe Holgate Jr. (Shonto) — 235 votes
  • Billy Goodman Jr. (Ts’ahbiikin) — 207 vote
  • Harve Holiday (Oljato) — 125 votes
  • Elizabeth Whitethorne-Benally (Shonto) — 124 votes
  • Willie Grayeyes (Naatsis’áán) — 82 votes
  • Paul Todacheene (Shonto) — 32 votes

Though top delegate contenders Felix R. Fuller, Joe Holgate Jr. and Billy Goodman Jr. received votes in the triple digits, they weren’t enough to beat Daniels.

Goodman’s sister, Caroline Ekis, said Tuesday was a busy day for the Goodman family.

Last night Goodman thanked his supporters and congratulated Daniels in two separate Facebook posts.

“I had many setbacks in my lifetime,” said Goodman, who has served more than two decades in the U.S. Air Force and the Utah Air National Guard. “This is a learning experience É but eventually I sew on my new stripes.”

On Wednesday morning, candidate Elizabeth Whitethorne-Benally said as she steps into real life, she will continue to maintain her many community leadership roles.

Daniels was not available for comment at press time on Wednesday afternoon.


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About The Author

Krista Allen

Krista Allen is editor of the Navajo Times.

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