REFORM · ISSUE 1 OF 3
The Executive-Legislative Conflict
What it is
35 of 41 candidates named the conflict between the Executive and Legislative branches. The three-branch government was created by CD-68-89 in 1989 as a response to the Peter MacDonald crisis — explicitly described as temporary. It has been the operating structure for 37 years. The President holds veto power; the Council holds the budget and can override. The result is a structural standoff that stranded funds and stalled projects throughout multiple administrations.
Learn
Understand the system — then consult an expert
History of Navajo Government — why the Nation has the government it has, and why it has never had a constitution until maybe this November.
Why do the branches fight? — 35 of 41 candidates on the structural conflict, with verbatim quotes.
Title 2 & Title 26 — the law governing the central government and chapters.
Consult an expert: Ask about the structural conflict and its solutions →
Plan & Assess
Where candidates stand — weigh it yourself
Government & the Branches — candidates side by side — what each candidate proposed for resolving the conflict.
Ask any candidate: What specifically would you do differently to avoid another government shutdown or budget standoff? Full list →
Act
What you can do now
Attend hearings: Council sessions are public. Citizens can testify. How the people make fixes happen →
Request records: Line-item veto records, override votes, and budget standoff communications are public. How to request →
Report & Monitor
Track progress — hold the right office accountable
What should be public: A plain-language tally of vetoes, overrides, and their fiscal impact — what did the standoff cost? What should be public →
Track: Reform survey → · Community Findings → · Share what you observe →