Vice President of the Navajo Nation

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

List of vice presidents of Navajo Nation

No.		Vice President		Took office	Left office	Tenure	Party	Election	President
1			Marshall Plummer (1948–2010) [4]	January 15, 1991	January 10, 1995	3 years, 360 days	Unknown	1990		Peterson Zah
2			Thomas Atcitty (1933–2020) [5]	January 10, 1995	February 19, 1998	3 years, 40 days	Democratic	1994		Albert Hale
3			Milton Bluehouse Sr. (1936–2019) [6]	February 19, 1998	July 24, 1998	155 days	Unknown	–		Thomas Atcitty
Position vacant (July 24–August 1998)								–		Milton Bluehouse Sr.
4			Frank Chee Willeto (1925–2012) [7]	August 1998	January 12, 1999	4–5 months	Unknown
5			Taylor McKenzie (1931–2007) [8]	January 12, 1999	January 14, 2003	4 years, 2 days	Unknown	1998		Kelsey Begaye
6			Frank Dayish (born 1958)	January 14, 2003	January 9, 2007	3 years, 360 days	Unknown	2002		Joe Shirley Jr.
7			Ben Shelly (1947–2023)	January 9, 2007	January 11, 2011	4 years, 2 days	Democratic	2006
8			Rex Lee Jim (born 1962)	January 11, 2011	May 12, 2015	4 years, 121 days	Unknown	2010		Ben Shelly
9			Jonathan Nez (born 1975)	May 12, 2015	January 15, 2019	3 years, 248 days	Democratic	2014–15		Russell Begaye
10			Myron Lizer (born TBA)	January 15, 2019	January 10, 2023	3 years, 360 days	Republican	2018		Jonathan Nez
11			Richelle Montoya (born TBA)	January 10, 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 329 days	Unknown	2022		Buu Nygren

Timeline

See also

• President of the Navajo Nation
• Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council
• Navajo Nation Council

References

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.