Unofficial results announced for Navajo Nation District 6 Special Election
WINDOW ROCK
District 6 voters have spoken.
Arbin Mitchell, a longtime tribal official who worked for several Navajo Nation presidents as chief of staff or a division director, has unofficially been declared the winner by 653 votes, according to unofficial results from the Navajo Nation Election Administration.
Special elections were held on Tuesday in the Navajo Nation communities of Klagetoh, Wide Ruins, Nahat’á Dziil, Houck, and Tsé Si’ání to elect a new Council delegate. The seat was left vacant in September when Lomardo Aseret announced his resignation to focus on family commitments.
Mitchell’s strong performance across all five chapters earned him a clear lead over his opponents. Raymond Smith Jr. followed with 305 votes, while Olin C. Begay garnered 273 votes.
Courtesy | Navajo Election Administration
The names of the District 6 candidates for the 25th Navajo Nation Council are shown on a sample ballot.
The breakdown of votes by chapter is as follows:
- Houck: Mitchell (135), Smith Jr. (120), Begay (57)
- Klagetoh: Mitchell (69), Smith Jr. (23), Begay (84)
- Nahat’á Dziil: Mitchell (179), Smith Jr. (68), Begay (61)
- Tsé Si’ání: Mitchell (108), Smith Jr. (68), Begay (33)
- Wide Ruins: Mitchell (162), Smith Jr. (26), Begay (38)
A total of 1,231 votes were cast during the special election, with voter turnout reflecting the community’s investment in choosing a new leader for the two-year term. The final results are pending certification, but if confirmed, Mitchell will take over responsibilities as District 6’s Council delegate representing the five chapters in the 25th Navajo Nation Council.
Aseret, who served as the five chapter’s delegate since 2020, stated his decision to step down was to prioritize spending more time with his family. His departure set the stage for this highly contested special election.
The Navajo Nation Election Administration will certify the results following a mandatory verification process under the Nation’s election procedures.
Overall, 37 chapters held special elections after 192 chapter-level candidates were disqualified in August.
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