Voters on the Navajo Nation will be considering the fate of a referendum that would change the wording of the tribe’s language fluency requirements for presidential and vice presidential candidates. The tribe’s board of election supervisors gave the voter initiative final approval Thursday.

The language policy came under scrutiny last year when presidential candidate Chris Deschene was disqualified from the race because he didn’t meet fluency requirements.

Current Navajo law states a person must “be able to speak and understand Navajo and Understand and write English."

The new proposal would still require a candidate to speak and understand Navajo, but specifies fluency levels would be judged by Navajo voters. Right now, an administrative review makes that call.

Russell Begaye is the tribe’s current president. He said he doesn’t like the proposal because the way it’s written is deceptive.

"What I’m for is transparency," said Begaye. "I need to be voting yes, I want my leaders to be fluent. No, I don’t want my leaders to be fluent. I want to have a very clear, transparent, up front wording."

Navajo Nation Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates disagrees. He said the language requirement isn’t going anywhere, the only thing that would change is who is judging language fluency.

"It does not put it to the side," said Bates. "It’s up to the voters. When that candidate comes before them and is able to speak Navajo. How much Navajo is dependent on how the voters feel."

The vote on the referendum is set for July 21.