Overview:
The Navajo Nation presidential race is set for the general election after the two remaining candidates announced their running mates. Speaker Crystalyne Curley selected former Arizona lawmaker and Army veteran Chris Deschene, while Justin Jones chose nonprofit executive and former presidential candidate Emily Ellison. The vice presidential selections complete the tickets for the Nov. 3 election and offer voters two distinct leadership teams as they choose the next president and vice president of the Navajo Nation.
Native Vote 2026
The race to lead the Navajo Nation entered a new phase this week as the two candidates advancing to the general election announced their choices for vice president, completing their tickets ahead of the November election.
Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley selected former Arizona state legislator and U.S. Army veteran Chris Deschene as her running mate, while Justin Jones named nonprofit executive Emily Ellison as his vice presidential nominee.
The announcements came days after Curley and Jones emerged as the top two finishers in the July 21 primary election, eliminating incumbent President Buu Nygren from contention and setting up one of the most consequential Navajo presidential elections in recent years.
Curley said Deschene’s extensive background in engineering, public policy, and economic development makes him well suited to help address the Navajo Nation’s long-term infrastructure and economic challenges.
Deschene is widely known throughout Indian Country and the Navajo Nation for his public service. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served in the U.S. Army before representing northern Arizona in the Arizona House of Representatives. He has also held leadership positions focused on infrastructure, energy, water resources, and economic development. Deschene previously sought the Navajo Nation presidency and played a central role in the legal and political debate that ultimately led to changes in the Nation’s presidential candidate language requirements.
Jones, meanwhile, turned to fellow former presidential candidate Emily Ellison to round out his ticket. Ellison serves as executive director of a Navajo nonprofit organization and has built a career focused on youth, family services, and community development. She previously sought the Navajo Nation presidency in 2018, 2022, and again this year.
By selecting Ellison, Jones brings another well-known candidate and her supporters into his coalition while adding experience in nonprofit leadership and grassroots community engagement.
The vice presidential selections offer voters a clearer picture of the competing leadership teams.
Curley and Deschene present a ticket emphasizing governmental experience, infrastructure, and economic development. Curley currently serves as Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, while Deschene brings legislative, military, and technical expertise developed over decades of public service.
Jones and Ellison offer a ticket centered on community leadership, public policy, and social services. Jones has emphasized government reform and accountability during his campaign, while Ellison has focused much of her career on strengthening families and expanding opportunities for Navajo youth.
The Navajo Nation elects its president and vice president as a unified ticket. Together, the two officials oversee the executive branch of the largest Tribal Nation in the United States, serving more than 400,000 enrolled citizens across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
The general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, when Navajo voters will choose the Nation’s next president and vice president.
