Staff Reports
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Naabik’iyati’ Committee advanced Legislation No. 0001-26, approving the 2025 Navajo Nation Council Reapportionment Plan, Feb. 12. The legislastion fulfills the requirement under 11 N.N.C. § 9 to adopt a new reapportionment plan every 10 years to maintain substantially equal legislative districts while respecting chapter and agency boundaries.
Council Delegate Arbin Mitchell sponsored the legislation and emphasized the importance of completing the process in accordance with Navajo law and election timelines. Mitchell presented with Commission on Navajo Government Development Legislative Branch representative Larry Rodgers and Chair Pro Tem for Navajo Board of Election Supervisors Dr. Victoria Yazzie.
“Reapportionment is a legal responsibility that ensures every Navajo voter has fair and balanced representation,” Mitchell said. “Plan 5 was recommended by the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors after public hearings and careful data review. Our responsibility is to adopt a defensible plan that reflects our chapters, agencies, and the principle of equal representation for the next decade.”
The Navajo Board of Election Supervisors developed multiple draft plans and recommended Plan 5 as its preferred option, followed by Plans 3 and 4. The plans were based primarily on 2020 federal census data, with earlier drafts also reviewing registered voter data and off-reservation voters.
Public hearings were conducted across all five agencies from Oct. 27-Oct. 31, and additional comments were solicited before final recommendations were presented to the Council. The legislation states that any adopted plan must designate precincts that are approximately equal in population and must consider chapter and agency boundaries, consistent with Navajo Nation law and court precedent.
During the debate, Delegate Danny Simpson discussed the need to balance population equality with practical representation concerns, particularly within the Eastern Navajo Agency, which includes 31 chapters.
Simpson introduced an amendment to modify Plan 5 to create a more balanced distribution of chapters among Eastern Agency delegates.
“Our amendment focuses on making representation workable and equitable within Eastern Agency,” he said. “Some delegates represented as few as three chapters, while others represented eight. This change helps ensure that our Navajo people receive more consistent and accessible representation.”
he amendment also incorporated additional modifications. The amendment moved the Jeddito Chapter from Legislative Area 10 to Legislative Area 11 under the Fort Defiance Agency chart and moved the Bodaway-Gap Chapter from Legislative Area 1 to Legislative Area 4 within the Western Navajo Agency.
Council members also discussed disparities between 2020 census figures and current registered voter data, requesting updated information from the Navajo Election Administration. Delegates emphasized that any adopted plan must withstand legal scrutiny and align with one-person, one-vote principles while honoring Navajo Nation governance structures. A special session is being scheduled before the March 13 deadline to ensure the plan is finalized in time for a potential primary election date change to July 21.
The Naabik’iyati’ Committee approved Legislation No. 0001-26 with a vote of 15 in favor and two opposed. The legislation will move forward to the Navajo Nation Council, who serve as the final authority.
