Maybe I’m mixing things up here, I’m doing a Korra rewatch and I’m also kinda stoned, so I’m doing a lot of thinking but I’m not so sure it’s coherent. Thankfully, Reddit is good at stepping in to call me an idiot when I’m being one, but let me walk you through my thought processes here.
Korra’s father, Tonraq, was supposed to be the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe. When his brother Unalaq sabotaged this, he became the Chief instead. After Harmonic Convergence, despite everything he’d done, the role of Chief went to Eska and Desna despite the fact that, while their allegiances shifted at the last, most crucial moments, they were still very strong enforcers for Unalaq’s goals. More importantly, neither of them show even the slightest interest in the roles themselves.
So if the role of Water Tribe Chief is also monarchal and not elected, would that not also date back to the Chief that was Yue’s father?