Overview:
Justin Jones and Crystalyne Curley advanced to the Nov. 3 Navajo Nation presidential election after finishing first and second, respectively, in Tuesday's primary, while incumbent President Buu Nygren was eliminated after placing third.
Voters across the Navajo Nation narrowed a crowded field of 16 presidential candidates on Tuesday, sending Justin Jones and Speaker Crystalyne Curley to the Nov. 3 general election while incumbent President Buu Nygren was eliminated in an upset.
According to unofficial results released following the July 21, 2026, Navajo Nation presidential primary, Jones led the field with 15,039 votes, followed by Curley with 8,424 votes. Nygren, who was seeking a second four-year term, finished third with 7,410 votes, ending his reelection bid.
The primary determined the two candidates who will compete to become the next president of the Navajo Nation in the general election on Nov. 3.
The 2026 election featured one of the largest presidential fields in recent Navajo Nation history, with 16 candidates campaigning across the reservation on issues including economic development, housing, water infrastructure, public safety, health care, education, government transparency, and preservation of the Navajo language and culture.
This year’s primary also marked a significant change to the Navajo Nation election calendar. The election was moved from August to July 21 to align with Arizona’s state and county election schedule. As a result, Navajo voters in New Mexico and Utah cast ballots during an extended early voting period, while Arizona voters participated on Election Day.
Throughout the campaign, candidates took part in public forums and community events across the Navajo Nation, where voters repeatedly identified affordable housing, reliable water access, job creation, infrastructure improvements, and stronger government accountability among their top priorities.
Unofficial results showed the top seven finishers as:
- Justin Jones: 15,039 votes
- Crystalyne Curley: 8,424 votes
- Buu Nygren: 7,410 votes
- Tom Chee: 4,151 votes
- Andrew Curley: 3,856 votes
- Jimmy Yellowhair: 3,758 votes
- Shaandiin Parrish: 3,595 votes
The results remain unofficial until they are canvassed and certified by the Navajo Nation Election Administration.
Jones and Curley will now spend the next several months campaigning across the Navajo Nation ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, where voters will choose the Nation’s next president and vice president to serve a four-year term.
