Ryan Reynolds, Paul McCartney Nominated for First Nation's Next Chief

Ryan Reynolds or Sir Paul McCartney could become the next chief of a First Nation in Canada ... the native community has spoken, and the famous non-natives are up for election.

Ryan and Paul have been nominated as Chief for Walpole Island First Nation, a reservation nestled on an island bordering Michigan and Canada ... according to the indigenous community's director of operations, James Jenkins.

He tells TMZ ... the actor and rock icon were nominated by 2 eligible electors this weekend, which instantly qualifies the celebs as official nominees for Chief.

It's pretty interesting ... we're told Ryan and Paul don't technically have to be part of the native community to be nominated or even rise to the top as Chief. There's a loophole from way back in 1868, when Walpole Island First Nation elected a non-member as chief, forging a precedent allowing nonmembers to run for Chief.

Now, Ryan and Sir Paul just have to get on the ballot. Actually, they're already on, but we're told they have until Thursday to contact the Walpole Island membership office to have their names removed. If the deadline passes without a peep from either, we're told they'll both remain legit candidates for Chief when the election is held Sept. 19.

If one of them wins, the First Nation would contact them, and Chief Ryan or Chief Paul would have to assume office or resign.

The intentions behind the nominations remain unclear, and we're told there are mixed emotions about it. Some members believe either has the stuff to be an effective leader because of their wildly successful entertainment careers.

What else would ya think after seeing 'Van Wilder' ... right? And, that's why others think their nominations are an inappropriate joke.

The Chief, we're told, is similar to being mayor ... they're the head of the council and the voice of the community, tasked with overseeing programs and services run by administrators. Naturally, we're told Chief is the most respected position in Walpole Island First Nation, which has about 5,000 members.

Walpole Island is no stranger to celebs ... we're told Cher and Kid Rock have spent a great deal of time in the area, going fishing and duck hunting.

One last caveat ... we're told Ryan or Paul would likely have to move close to the reservation if elected Chief. Sorry, you can't attend tribe meetings on Zoom.

Ryan's at least Canadian, so that gives him a leg up, but ... Paul's a Beatle.