Editing Navajo Nation (section)

====Chapters====
{{see also|Chapter (Navajo Nation)|List of Navajo Nation Chapters}}

In 1927, agents of the U.S. federal government initiated a new form of local government entities called [[Chapter (Navajo Nation)|Chapters]], modeled after jurisdictional governments in the US such as counties or townships. Each chapter elected officers and followed parliamentary procedures.

By 1933, more than 100 chapters operated across the Navajo Nation. The chapters served as liaisons between the Navajo and the federal governments, respectively. They also acted as voting precincts for the election of tribal council delegates. They served as forums for local tribal leaders but the chapters had no authority within the structure of the Navajo Nation government.<ref>[[David E. Wilkins]], ''The Navajo Political Experience,'' 1999, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., pp. 81–82.</ref>

In 1998, the Navajo Tribal Council passed the "Local Governance Act" (LGA), which expanded the political roles of the existing 110 chapters. It authorized them to make decisions on behalf of the chapter members and to take over certain roles previously delegated to the council and executive branches. This included entering into intergovernmental agreements with federal, state and tribal entities, subject to approval by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee of the council. As of 2006, 44 chapters were LGA certified.<ref>{{cite web |title=LGA Certified Chapters |url=http://www.navajoauditor.org/lgacertified_01.html |website=Navajo Nation Office of the Auditor General |access-date=7 April 2021 |language=EN |archive-date=April 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426050459/http://www.navajoauditor.org/lgacertified_01.html |url-status=live }}</ref>