Incumbents dominate Council races

Sixteen of the 24 people elected to the new Navajo Nation Council are incumbents from the outgoing 88-member Council, according to unofficial results of Tuesday's election.

And 11 of the 16 have been named in criminal complaints by Special Prosecutor Alan Balaran for alleged misuse of the Council's discretionary funds.

In many of the races - and all six in the Eastern Agency - it was incumbent versus incumbent.

But some matches were more watched than others, and several of the high-profile incumbents were defeated. In the race to represent Church Rock, Iyanbito, Mariano Lake, Pinedale, Smith Lake and Thoreau, Young Jeff Tom was defeated by freshman Edmund Yazzie.

Tom has been on the Council since 1999 and is known as the most frequent sponsor of legislation - often termed as "emergencies" - aimed at transferring money to the discretionary funds of the chapters and the Council.

Yazzie is best known for sponsoring legislation to criminalize the illegal copying of movies and music made by Navajos.

But Yazzie topped Tom by 1,144 votes.

Another prominent incumbent battle was between George Arthur and LoRenzo Bates to represent Nenahnezad, Newcomb, San Juan, T'iistsoh Sikaad, Tsé Daa K'aan and Upper Fruitland.

Arthur has been on the Council since 1999 and has been involved in numerous high-profile issues as chairman of the Resources Committee, which oversees the development of the tribe's natural resources.

Most recently, Arthur has been a lightning rod for criticism as sponsor of the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement, which goes before the council today, Nov. 4, in a special session.

Bates is a two-term delegate and heads the council's Budget and Finance Committee. He defeated Arthur by 912 votes.

Another closely watched contest involved a three-way race between a member of one of the tribe's most famous political families, the former spokesman for Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan (Iyanbito/Pinedale), and a political appointee of President Joe Shirley Jr.

Incumbent Hope MacDonald-LoneTree, daughter of former Chairman Peter MacDonald Sr., and Joshua Lavar Butler were the winners in the primary. But they were later joined by write-in candidate Cora Maxx-Phillips, who has served the Shirley administration in several roles.

Butler, a former Morgan aide, outpolled MacDonald-LoneTree by 195 votes, and received 455 more than the write-in votes. He will represent Tuba City.

In other Eastern Agency incumbent battles, Leonard Tsosie, a freshman delegate who was forced to resign from the New Mexico State Senate to serve on the Council, bested Hoskie Kee by 450 votes to represent Baca-Prewitt, Casamero Lake, Counselor, Littlewater, Ojo Encino, Pueblo Pintado, Torreon and Whitehorse Lake.

The match between incumbents George Apachito and Lawrence R. Platero ended with Apachito winning 153 more votes to represent Alamo, Ramah and Tóhajiilee.

Incumbents Danny Simpson and Harry Hubbard ran to represent Becenti, Crownpoint, Huerfano, Lake Valley, Nageezi, Nahodishgish, Tsé'íí'áhí and Whiterock. Simpson won by 205 votes.

The race between incumbents Harriett K. Becenti and Charles Damon II for Bááháálí, Chichiltah, Manuelito, Red Rock, Rock Springs and Tsayatoh ended with Damon ahead by 634 votes.

In the Fort Defiance Agency, incumbents Lee Jack Sr. and Elmer P. Begay vied to represent Dilkon, Greasewood Springs, Indian Wells, Teesto and White Cone. Begay won by 113 votes.

The contest for Bahastl'ah, Coyote Canyon, Mexican Springs, Naschitti and Tohatchi involved three incumbents - Mel R. Begay, Norman John II and write-in candidate Peterson B. Yazzie.

Begay easily won with 427 more votes than John and 892 more than the write-in votes. (Election officials did not have a breakdown of the write-in votes by name in any race.)

In the Northern Agency, a challenge between incumbents Kenneth Maryboy and Davis Filfred ended with Maryboy receiving 61 more votes to represent Aneth, Mexican Water, Red Mesa, Teec Nos Pos and Tólikan. Incumbent Francis Redhouse ran as a write-in candidate but the 593 write-in votes were only about half of what the other two candidates received.

In the Chinle Agency, incumbents and long-time friends Nelson S. Begaye and Leonard Teller competed to represent Lukachukai, Rock Point, Round Rock, Tsaile-Wheatfields and Tsé Ch'ízhí. Begaye got 1,048 more votes than Teller.

In Western Navajo, incumbents Jonathan Nez and Herman Daniels Jr. vied to represent Oljato, Navajo Mountain, Shonto and Ts'ah Bii Kin, with Nez winning by 488 votes.

Incumbents bested newcomers in several races, too.

In the Fort Defiance Agency, they won in three races against non-Council members.

Newcomer LaVerne Joe gave incumbent Lorenzo Curley a good fight for Houck, Klagetoh, Lupton, Nahata Dziil and Wide Ruins. Curley won by 81 votes.

And incumbent Roscoe D. Smith barely kept his seat with 62 more votes than Genevieve Jackson to represent Crystal, Fort Defiance, Red Lake and Sawmill.

But incumbent Curran Hannon lost by 143 votes to newcomer Jonathan Hale to represent Oak Springs and St. Michaels.

There were no incumbents in the battle for Cornfields, Ganado, Kinlichee, Jeddito and Steamboat but one of the candidates, Milton Bluehouse Sr., was a former Navajo Nation president. His opponent, Alton Joe Shepherd, came out on top with 986 more votes.

In the Northern Agency, incumbent David L. Tom won a three-way battle with Irvin Tyler and write-in candidate Richard T. Begaye to represent Beclabito, Cove, Gadii'áhi-To'koi, Red Valley, Sheepsprings, Toadlena, Tsé Alnaozt'i'í and Two Grey Hills.

Tom won with 267 more votes than Tyler and 1,144 more votes than the combined write-in candidates.

However, Shiprock incumbent Pete Ken Atcitty lost to Russell Begaye by 402 votes.

In the Central Agency, incumbent Johnny Naize beat Roland Tso by 402 votes to represent Blue Gap-Tachee, Cottonwood-Tselani, Low Mountain, Many Farms and Nazlini.

Newcomers bested incumbents in two other Central Agency races. Chinle Chapter President Leonard H. Pete defeated incumbent Harry Claw by 86 votes.

Another three-way fight pitted incumbent Lorenzo Bedonie against Dwight Witherspoon and write-in candidate Amos Johnson, another incumbent, to represent Forest Lake, Hard Rock, Kíts'íílí, Piñon and Whippoorwill.

Witherspoon garnered 141 more votes than Bedonie and 584 more votes than the write-in candidates.

In the Western Agency, incumbent Katherine Benally fought off Stanley S. Clitso with 202 more votes to represent Chilchinbeto, Dennehotso and Kayenta.

A tight race between Walter Phelps and incumbent Leonard Chee ended with Phelps squeezing past Chee by 31 votes to represent Birdsprings, Cameron, Coalmine Canyon, Leupp and Tolani Lake.

And in the contest to represent Bodaway-Gap, Coppermine, K'ai'bii'tó, LeChee/Red Lake and Tonalea, former delegate Duane S. Tsinigine won over incumbent Evelyn J. Acothley and write-in candidate Philbert L. Tso.

Tsinigine got 647 more votes than Acothley and 1,261 more votes than the write-in candidates.

The election results for the winners of the 22nd council are unofficial until certified by the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors in 10 days.

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