Navajo Supreme Court orders election to be held
A copy of a letter from the Navajo Nation Supreme Court ruling on Monday states that Tuesday’s election will take place after “null and voiding” the district court’s Friday’s decision. (Times photo – Donovan Quintero)
The Navajo Supreme Court Monday ordered Tuesday’s election for tribal president to go forward after declaring that Friday’s district court decision to be “null and void.”
The supreme court made that decision after holding a 70-minute hearing to determine how and why the district court made its decision Friday to “stay” or postpone the election.
The supreme court justices spent a lot of time during the hearing asking questions about how District Court Judge Carol Perry thought she had the authority to review a decision that had already been made and finalized by the supreme court.
The justices also wanted to know how the former members of the Navajo Election Board, who filed the petition heard by the district court, would have been harmed if the election was held as scheduled.
The supreme court ruling said that the statements made by two of the board members that their request to stay the election based on their feelings that they would not be able to make an informed decision if the election was held as scheduled was not enough to justify the district court’s ruling.
Feelings are not evidence, said the court ruling.
This now paves the way for the election to go forward. Polls will open at 6 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m.
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