INDIAN WELLS CHAPTER — A public forum on Saturday, June 18, at the Indian Wells Chapter House was attended by four of the six candidates running for the District 7 Navajo Nation Council delegate seat and several candidates running for positions in Navajo County.
The Navajo Nation primary election is Aug. 2. The top two vote getters will square off in the general election on Nov. 8 with the winner representing District 7, which consists of Greasewood, Indian Wells, Whitecone, Teesto and Dilkon chapter.
Other candidates running for Navajo County offices also attended and presented their platforms.
Event organizer Linda Yazzie, an Indian Wells community member said about 75 attended and more watched on Facebook live. “My intention for this forum was to help our communities to become informed of the candidates that were running for District 7 Navajo Nation Council Delegate. I personally do not know all the candidates and that was a concern voiced by most voters within our area. The other reasons were to see if the candidates were willing to meet their constituents. Are the candidates willing to listen to all concerns? Are the candidates willing to go the extra mile?”
The forum, the first for District 7 candidates, included a question and answer session by four panelists selected from each of the five chapters who posed the questions.
The first candidate to arrive was Arthur Hardy Jr. He was followed by Cherlyn Yazzie and then Vinton Dale Yazzie. Lee Jack arrived nearly 20 minutes into the event. Not attending was the incumbent Elmer Begay and Greasewood candidate Calvin F. Lee.
The incumbent Council delegate is Elmer Begay, who won re-election in 2018. He also previously served on the Council from 2010 to 2014.
Lee Jack, from Whitecone Chapter, previously represented District 7 chapters from 2014 to 2018 on the Navajo Nation Council. He introduced himself in Navajo and mentioned many of the projects he worked on as a delegate.
Political newcomer Cherilyn Yazzie, from Dilkon Chapter, is a businesswoman, and the owner of the successful Coffee Pot Farms. She has a college degree and previously worked for the Navajo County Public Health Department. Her concerns are water. “Four years ago, I started Coffee Pot Farms because I wanted to address food access on the Navajo Nation,” she said. “We need water infrastructure and be able to grow our own foods.”
Arthur Hardy Jr. introduced himself in Navajo, and noted he served as District 7 Legislative Assistant for Lee Jack. He is from Greasewood Chapter. Hardy currently works as a legislative district assistant for Council delegate Raymond Smith, who serves another council delegate district. He also served as chapter coordinator for Greasewood Chapter.
Vinton Dale Yazzie is from Greasewood Chapter. “I hope I have your support and that I can change a few minds,” he said. He mentioned how COVID devasted the Navajo people, and he wanted to hear tribal leaders apologize to the community for lives lost.
Dolly Mason, a candidate for Navajo Nation president also attended. An educator and a former Miss Navajo, she told the crowd education is important.
The Navajo Nation Council is the legislative branch of the Navajo Nation government. The council is composed of 24 district councilors, chosen by direct election, who represent 110 municipal chapters within the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
