Here is the official voting tally of Navajo Council vote on $220 million Bond today, Dec. 10, at 1:58 pm. The Council vote was 9 in favor, 7 opposed. The $220 million loan failed because Navajo law requires that it be approved with 2/3 vote or 16 in favor. There are 8 Delegates that did not vote because 7 of them were absent and 1 was the Speaker, who does not vote except in the case of a tie. The Council removed Absentee Voting several years ago. If a Delegate is in the Council chamber when a vote is taken that Delegate by Navajo law must cast a vote of yes or no. And even though the vote was 9 in favor, 7 opposed, the legislation for the $220 million Bond was not approved because the Council was waiving tribal sovereignty, an action that mandates under Navajo law that the Council, which is the only Navajo government entity authorized to waive Navajo sovereignty by a vote of 2/3 of the 24-member Council which is 16 yes votes. And since there was only 9 yes votes, the $220 million legislation failed. The $220 million bond legislation may return the Council but only in a different form; it cannot be the same legislation.

9 DELEGATES IN SUPPORT:
LoRenzo Bates
Katherine Benally
Joshua Butler
Lorenzo Curley
Jonathan Hale
Jonathan Nez
Walter Phelps
Alton Shepherd
Dwight Witherspoon

6 DELEGATE OPPOSING:
George Apachito
Elmer Begay
Mel Begay
Kenneth Maryboy
Leonard Pete
Roscoe Smith
Leonard Tsosie

8 DELEGATES NOT VOTING/ABSENT
Nelson Begaye
Russell Begaye
Charles Damon II
Johnny Naize
Danny Simpson
David Tom
Duane Tsinigine
Edmund Yazzie