The Navajo presidential election is in danger of being postponed over a debate of one candidate's fluency.

Chris Deschene was disqualified from the race Thursday, which is set to culminate in less than four weeks, for refusing to answer questions to test his fluency in Navajo, The Associated Press reported.

Deschene said he refused to answer because it was unfair that he was singled out of the candidates to be tested on his fluency, which he has touted in his campaign.

Chief hearing officer Richie Nez initially dismissed the grievances filed by Dale Tsosie and Hank Whitethorne, two primary election challengers who lost to Deschene, which is the first time the fluency of a candidate has been challenged since the laws were established in the 1990s, The Associated Press reported.

Deschene won the primary election and was one of two candidates vying for the presidential seat.

Absentee ballots are already out and early voting is under way. But this language dispute could postpone the election if Deschene appeals Thursday's decision.

After refusing to take a written test, Deschene was called before a tribal hearing and refused to answer the question of how a resolution becomes a law in Navajo.

"It's a fair question. He's a presidential candidate," said David Jordan, an attorney for one of the people challenging Deschene's candidacy, according to AP. "We're not asking him the Pythagorean theorem in Navajo. We're asking how a resolution becomes law."

The focus on fluency in the language is important for the tribe, which has the largest native-speaking population in the country, and it is law for the president to be able to speak the language.

Navajo is spoken during legislative sessions, dinner conversations and during public events such as the Miss Navajo pageants.

Deschene has vowed to appeal the decision and has 10 days to do so.

But if he loses his appeal, the third-place finisher in the primary election would face his challenger, Joe Shirley Jr.