Vice President of the Navajo Nation

Position in the Navajo Nation government

Vice-President of the
Navajo Nation

Great Seal of the Navajo Nation

Incumbent
Richelle Montoya

since January 10, 2023

Residence| Window Rock, AZ
Term length| Four years, renewable once
Constituting instrument| Navajo Nation Code & Treaty of 1868
Inaugural holder| Marshall Plummer
Formation| January 15, 1991
Salary| $45,000.00 USD per year
Website| Vice President

The office of vice president of the Navajo Nation was created in 1991 following restructuring of the Navajo Nation government. The president and vice president are elected every four years. The Navajo Nation Vice-president shall serve no more than two terms.[1]

In 2010, Ben Shelly became the first vice president to be elected president of the Navajo Nation.[2]

In 2022, Richelle Montoya was the first woman to be elected into the Executive Branch of the Navajo Nation.[3]

## Officeholders

[edit]

List of vice presidents of Navajo Nation  No. | Image  | Name  | Term  | Party  | Election  | President

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  |  | Marshall Plummer
(1948–2010)
[4] | January 15, 1991

January 10, 1995  | Unknown | 1990 |  | Peterson Zah
2  |  |  | Thomas Atcitty
(1933–2020)
[5] | January 10, 1995

February 19, 1998  | Democratic | 1994 |  | Albert Hale
3  |  |  | Milton Bluehouse Sr.
(1936–2019)
[6] | February 19, 1998

July 24, 1998  | Unknown | –  |  | Thomas Atcitty
Position vacant (July 24–August 1998) | –  |  | Milton Bluehouse Sr.
4  |  |  | Frank Chee Willeto
(1925–2012)
[7] | August 1998

January 12, 1999  | Unknown
5  |  |  | Taylor McKenzie
(1931–2007)
[8] | January 12, 1999

January 14, 2003  | Unknown | 1998 |  | Kelsey Begaye
6  |  |  | Frank Dayish
(born 1958) | January 14, 2003

January 9, 2007  | Unknown | 2002 |  | Joe Shirley Jr.
7  |  |  | Ben Shelly
(1947–2023) | January 9, 2007

January 11, 2011  | Democratic | 2006
8  |  |  | Rex Lee Jim
(born 1962) | January 11, 2011

May 12, 2015  | Unknown | 2010 |  | Ben Shelly
9  |  |  | Jonathan Nez
(born 1975) | May 12, 2015

January 15, 2019  | Democratic | 2014–15 |  | Russell Begaye
10  |  |  | Myron Lizer
(born TBA) | January 15, 2019

January 10, 2023  | Republican | 2018 |  | Jonathan Nez
11  |  |  | Richelle Montoya
(born TBA) | January 10, 2023

present | Unknown | 2022 |  | Buu Nygren

## Timeline

[edit]

This is a graphical lifespan timeline of vice presidents of the Navajo Nation. They are listed in order of office.

## See also

[edit]

* President of the Navajo Nation
* Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council
* Navajo Nation Council

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Qualifications for President & Vice-President" (PDF). Navajo Nation Election Administration.
2. ^ Calvin, Carolyn (2010-12-31). "Many firsts in primary, general elections". Navajo Times. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
3. ^ "Navajo Nation elects Buu Nygren President". New Mexico News Port. 9 November 2022.
4. ^ "Democracy Era Begins For Largest U.S. Tribe". New York Times. 1991-01-17. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
5. ^ Becenti, Deenise (1998-02-20). "With Law on Heels, Navajo Boss Quits; Hale Steps Down As Navajo Boss". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
6. ^ "Navajo name new president - again". Kingman Daily Miner. Associated Press. 1998-07-26. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
7. ^ Brunt, Charles D. (2012-06-25). "Former Navajo Code Talker Willeto Dies". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
8. ^ Rushlo, Michelle (1999-12-12). "Navajo inauguration is all-day event". Eugene Register-Guard (page 3A). Associated Press. Retrieved 2012-07-09.

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Navajo Nation

Politics and institutions|

* Council
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* Chapter houses
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Culture|

* People
* Language
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* Weaving
* Navajo dolls
* Navajo-Churro sheep
* Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park

Media|

* Ádahooníłígíí
* Navajo Times
* KTNN Radio

History|

* The Emergence
* Dinétah
* Navajo pueblitos (1600s-1700s)
* Navajo Wars (1800s)
* Long Walk of the Navajo (1864)
* Treaty of Bosque Redondo (1868)
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* Code talkers (1940s)

Education|

| District public|

* Cedar USD (AZ)
* White Cone HS, now closed
* Central Consolidated (NM)
* Newcomb HS
* Shiprock HS
* Chinle USD (AZ)
* Chinle HS
* Gallup-McKinley County (NM)
* Navajo Pine HS
* Tohatchi HS
* Ganado USD (AZ)
* Ganado HS
* Kayenta USD (AZ)
* Monument Valley HS
* Magdalena Municipal (NM)
* Page USD (AZ)
* Red Mesa USD (AZ)
* Red Mesa HS
* Red Valley/Cove HS
* Tuba City USD (AZ)
* Tuba City HS
* Winslow USD

|

BIE/Tribal|

* Greyhills Acad HS (AZ)
* Hunters Point Boarding (AZ)
* Kaibeto Boarding (AZ)
* Leupp Schools (AZ)
* Many Farms Community (AZ, former Chinle Boarding)
* Many Farms HS (AZ)
* Rough Point Community (AZ)
* Rough Rock Community (AZ)
* Shonto Prep (AZ)
* Tuba City Boarding (AZ)
* Navajo Prep (off-reservation, NM)

Private|

* St. Michael Indian School

Tertiary|

* Diné College
* Press

Communities|

* List of communities

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