Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the purpose of the Navajo Nation Recall Election?
  The Navajo Nation allows recall elections to ensure that elected officials (the naat’áaniis) remain accountable to the Navajo people who elected them in office.  Recall elections serve as a mechanism for Navajo voters to remove an elected official (naat’áanii) before his or her term is up if they believe that the official is not fulfilling his or her duties as a naat’áanii, acting against the public interest, or engaging in misconduct.  Any elected official (naat’áanii) may be removed from office if forty-five percent (45%) of the voters who cast their vote in the last General election file a Recall Petition with the Navajo Nation Election Administration (NNEA). 

Who can be the target official of a Recall Election?
Any elected official, including the Navajo Nation President, Vice President, and Council delegates, is subject to recall and removal from office.  Only the Navajo Nation can remove an official for “just cause.” 

Who is the target official of the Recall Petition?
The person in question of the Recall Petition is Navajo Nation President Buu Van Nygren.  

Reasons for Recall: President Buu Nygren lied to the Navajo Voters to get elected and continues to deceive the public by not fulfilling his campaign promises and breaching his duties. During his first year and nine months in office, President Nygren:

• ·BREACHED HIS FIDUCIARY DUTY through misuse of hundreds of thousands of dollars of the People’s money by spending outside of the Navajo Nation Council approved budget for OPVP, and hiring and paying contractors to serve him bypassing the Navajo Nation Procurement Code.
• LACKS COMPETENCE AND NEGLECTS HIS DUTIES that he was elected to fulfill, including by failing to attend and report to the People and the Navajo Nation Council during the Fall 2023 and Summer 2024 Council Sessions as required by law. 
• ·MISCONDUCT IN OFFICE has occurred by President Nygren and his appointees in the form of sexual harassment, nepotism, bullying and disrespect of veterans, elders, and women. At least forty-two (42) of his appointees have entered and exited his office by resignation or involuntary termination. Throughout the Navajo Nation Government, non-political appointee professionals who held critical positions have also resigned due to the unprofessional behavior that has trickled down from President Nygren to his appointees. 

Does the Recall Petition include Vice President Richelle Montoya as a target official?
The answer is No.  The NNEA limits one target official for each Recall Petition; a petition may not target two officials at the same time.

What is the Recall Election Process?
The Navajo Nation Election Code includes the process of recalling elected officials. Any official elected must complete a period of six months in office before being subjected to recall proceedings.  Recall proceedings can be initiated against any Navajo Nation elected official.  More information regarding recall efforts can be obtained by contacting the NNEA.

What types of signatures are allowed?
Physical signatures are required.  Online or virtual signatures are not allowed.  Each signature must include the Chapter and Census number.  Note:  If a voter is signing with a thumbprint, there must be two witness signatures with the Chapter and Census number.  

Who can sign the Recall Petition?
Any Navajo voter with a census number who has voted in the 2022 Navajo General Election may sign the Recall Petition. 

Can I sign the Petition if I did not vote in the last General election or have never voted?
The answer is No.  But we encourage you to register to vote in the next election. 

What if I live off the reservation?
There are no restrictions on where signatures can be gathered.  Our committee members will coordinate with volunteers to organize petition-signing events on and off the Navajo Nation. 

When is the deadline for collecting signatures?
After filing the Affidavit with the NNEA, the Recall Petition Committee will have 180 days to collect signatures and file the petition with the NNEA.

How many signatures are required for the Petition to be sufficient?
According to the NNEA, at least 29,803 validated signatures are required.  The Recall Committee’s goal is to collect at least 34,000 signatures.  

How will the public know how many signatures have been collected?
The NNEA will inform the public the number of signatures that have been validated.  

What happens after submitting the Recall Petition to the NNEA?
After filing the Petition with the collected signatures with the NNEA, there is a 30-day calendar validation period during which the NNEA will review the petition for sufficiency and validate the signatures. 

What happens after the Recall Petition is certified by the NNEA?
If, after NNEA’s validation review, the Petition has been certified as sufficient the NNEA will hold the Petition for ten (10) days during which time a challenge under oath and notarized may be filed with the Office of Hearings and Appeals by any registered voter. 

What happens if the certified Recall Petition is unchallenged?
The NNEA shall set a date for a Special Recall Election no less than thirty (30) days after the petition's certification.  If a regularly scheduled Navajo election falls within 90 days of the petition's certification, a special recall election is held during that election.

Does the Vice-President become the President after the Petition is certified?
During the pro-tem period between the Recall Petition Certificate date and the Special Election date, the President shall relinquish his office, and the vice president temporarily assumes the office of the President.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Recall Campaign
How can I help?
You can help the recall effort by volunteering your time or making a monetary donation to help cover campaign expenses.  We are actively seeking volunteers to host signature gathering events in their communities. Please use the Volunteer | Bambuuzled link to request more information. 

Where can I find a committee member?
Refer to this website for updates of locations, dates and time.   

When does voter registration open for the next election?
Friday, August 9, 2024

When does voter registration close?
Thursday, September 26, 2024

When is the next election scheduled?
Tuesday, November 5, 2024