Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. says tribal members should be allowed to determine how their government works.

Shirley is backing a ballot initiative that would reduce the size of the Navajo Nation Council from 88 delegates to 24. He supports another initiative to grant the president line-item veto authority over legislation passed by the council.

"This is the people's government," Shirley told reporters, according to a press release from his office. "This is a government for the people. And the people need to be involved."

Shirley said he gathered enough signatures to put the initiatives to a vote but the Navajo Election Administration has asked the Navajo Supreme Court to stop the process.

Get the Story:
Go-ahead for Navajo ballot initiatives challenged (AP 7/8)
Navajos get chance to vote on government structure (The Navajo Hopi-Observer 7/6)

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Navajo Nation to vote on reducing size of council (6/26)