Show up or step aside

Running for Navajo Nation president is not a casual decision. It is a commitment to the Diné.

Candidates pay $1,500 to put their names on the ballot. Voters give something more valuable. They give their time. Local governments, chapters, veterans groups and community organizations spend weeks planning candidate forums. Volunteers set up chairs and sound systems. Elders travel long distances. Families rearrange work schedules. Reporters drive hundreds of miles to cover the events because the public deserves to know who wants to lead the Navajo Nation.

Then some candidates simply do not show up.

It happened during the last election cycle, and it is happening again. The empty chair has become a familiar sight.

Every candidate has the right to run for office. No one is required to attend every forum. Emergencies happen. Schedules conflict. Life gets in the way.

But when a candidate repeatedly misses opportunities to meet voters and answer questions, people have a right to wonder how serious that campaign really is.

Why file for president if you are not willing to stand before the people?

That is not an unfair question. It is a necessary one.

A presidential campaign is, in many ways, an extended job interview. Voters deserve to hear where candidates stand on water, housing, public safety, healthcare, education and the countless issues facing our Navajo Nation. They deserve to ask hard questions and watch how candidates respond.

Showing up does not guarantee votes. It does not guarantee good answers. It simply shows respect for the people asking for your time and attention.

An absent candidate sends a message too.

It tells the elder who drove an hour to the forum that the trip was not important enough. It tells the young voter attending a first political event that participation is optional. It tells organizers and volunteers that their work can be taken for granted.

It also affects the people responsible for informing the public. Reporters prepare for these events, research candidates and travel to communities expecting a conversation about the future of the Navajo Nation. When candidates repeatedly fail to appear, the public loses another opportunity to learn about the people asking for one of the most important jobs in tribal government.

Running for president should be about service, not simply having a name on the ballot.

The office carries enormous responsibility. The president represents the Navajo Nation to communities, state governments, Congress and the White House. The job requires long days, difficult conversations and showing up even when the circumstances are uncomfortable.

Campaigning should reflect that reality.

That includes how candidates carry themselves.

A forum is not a parade stop or a casual appearance. Candidates should dress like they understand that. They should carry themselves with the respect they would bring to the Office of the President and Vice President. They should represent their families, their communities and their clans with care.

That does not mean expensive clothes. It means effort. It means taking off the hat indoors, standing before voters with respect and presenting yourself like someone asking to lead the Navajo Nation.

If you want to be president, show up like you are already prepared for the responsibility.

Voters should not have to guess whether a candidate is committed. They should not have to wonder whether a campaign exists only on paper.

The standard should be simple.

If you are asking for the people’s vote, show up. Answer questions. Listen to criticism. Explain your ideas. Meet the communities you hope to serve.

Running for president is a choice. Once that choice is made, the obligation is clear.

The $1,500 filing fee buys a place on the ballot. It does not earn the public’s trust. That must be earned by meeting the people, answering their questions and demonstrating that you are ready to lead.

We deserve nothing less.

Get instant access to this story by purchasing one of our many e-edition subscriptions HERE at our Navajo Times Store.

---