via Diné C.A.R.E. -Saga continues....is there an end?- Delegate calls for accounting of Diné votes Nov 17, 2014 By Arlyssa Becenti Diné Bureau navajo2@gallupindependent WINDOW ROCK — What happened to the votes? Council Delegate Leonard Tsosie has been trying to get information about how many votes were cast for Navajo Nation presidential candidate Joe Shirley and his former contender, disqualified candidate Chris Deschene. Asking Navajo Election Administration Edison Wauneka to disclose the numbers, which are rumored to be 37,830 votes for Deschene and 19,000 for Shirley according to the Navajo Voter’s Rights Coalition, Tsosie said he was told to go through the Navajo Nation Supreme Court before he could get the accurate numbers. The accurate voting numbers, according to NEA, is unknown to them. These figures determined by the Navajo Voter’s Rights Coalition are considered speculation, not fact. Tsosie asked Speaker Pro-Tem LoRenzo Bates to write a letter requesting the Navajo Nation Supreme Court provide the voting information. “The Navajo Supreme Court has no business and no authority to censor information that we use for legitimate purposes,” Tsosie said. “those votes represent disenfranchised votes and the Chief Justice Herb Yazzie is not the supervisor of the legislative branch.” Tsosie also asked that Yazzie appear before the Council to answer questions. “I’m also troubled by the supreme court,” Tsosie said. “I would ask that the supreme justice appear before the council today so we can ask him questions. His case is all done, so he can’t say that’s still under consideration.” Yazzie didn’t appear but he did send a letter stating that he was not inclined to speak on the matters of the election. “Please be informed that I cannot appear at your session where I will be questioned about the ongoing election. The Navajo Nation Council should beware that there is the potential that other challenges may arise to the attention of the Supreme Court,” Yazzie wrote. “Neither the Supreme Court nor I engage in the discussion with other branches of Navajo Nation under these circumstances. It would be highly improper and contrary to the Navajo Nation legal principles of separation of powers. Problems with election Not only did supreme court rule to disqualify Deschene but the court also ruled to strip all Navajo Nation Board of Election Supervisors of their titles and disqualify them from running for an elected office for eight years. This has been a problem for current disqualified Council delegate candidates and stripped NNBOES Tom White and Norman Begay. Since Begay and White had been disqualified it has been said that not only will the Navajo Nation presidential election be postponed until Dec. 23, but also the positions of the delegates for areas in which these two candidates were running for. Begay’s opponent for the Lukachukai, Round Rock, Tsaile/Wheatfields, Tse Ch’izhi, Rock Point chapter, was incumbent Nelson Begaye who said at Council that the NEA wasn’t clear or quick enough to provide him answers of what is to happen and partially because of this he decided that he would possibly forgo the election. “It’s a sad day for me, after giving leadership for all these years ... looks like I’m going to have to forgo the election here,” Begaye said. “I’m disturbed by what’s going on today and we can’t even be honest with our people here.” Tsosie doesn’t believe Yazzie has the authority to keep NNBOES from running for office. “I’d like for him to explain where his authority comes from and stripping the election of their authority, and doing away with the two delegate races. Where does he get the authority to do that?” In Yazzie’s letter, addressed to Bates, he said “I want to emphasize that Judicial Branch judges and personnel are always available to meet with Council delegates and the public for general education purposes through meetings or work sessions.”
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 02:06:57 +0000