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Navajo Nation elects first female president. Her opponent is calling for a recount

KJZZ | By Gabriel Pietrorazio

Published November 5, 2026 at 1:23 PM MST

New Mexico attorney Justin Jones [left] and Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley [right] at their respective Election Night watch parties in Arizona on Nov. 3, 2026.

Both candidates running to become the next Navajo Nation president campaigned to unify the tribe. But the outcome from Tuesday's general election is only causing more division after unofficial results show Diné voters picked the first woman to the tribe's top seat.

Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley now has another title: president-elect.

"And to the little girls that are out there, shíyázhí, anything is possible," said Curley during her Election Night watch party at the Veterans Memorial Field House in Fort Defiance. "Our daughters, our granddaughters, anything is possible."

Curley and her running mate, former Arizona Democratic state Rep. Chris Deschene, won by a margin of 1,115 votes. But the opposing ticket, led by New Mexico attorney Justin Jones, isn't giving up.

"We are not conceding. The fight has just begun," said Jones from the Navajo Nation Fairgrounds in Window Rock. "I get to subpoena you now. I get to file legal documents to show that you are cheating. We're going to war now."

He's calling for a recount, claiming Curley and Deschene are the "losers."

Jones also thinks the tallies from each of the tribe's 110 polling places across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah are too close, explaining "there are some dark, grey mathematical errors."

"We challenge the corruption and the criminals and the crooks of this town, and you threw every piece of bullsh—t at us. Guess what? We're going to throw back," added Jones. "We are going to mount the biggest legal attack on corruption that the Navajo Nation has never seen."

Meanwhile, outgoing President Buu Nygren congratulated Curley on social media, wishing the president-elect and her incoming administration success — while also thanking Jones for sharing his vision.

According to unofficial results from the Navajo Election Administration, Curley and Deschene secured 32,094 votes compared to 30,979 votes gathered by Jones and his running mate, Emily Ellison.