Election board takes on both election challenges, recounts
With recounts and challenges to the primary election results of all three tribal council positions last week, it’s been another extremely busy week for the tribal election board and the board’s attorney. A tribal primary election was held on Tuesday of last week and canvassing of the election results was completed into the early morning hours of Wednesday at the Four Bears Casino Event Center. Election races for the council positions are currently being held in the New Town, Mandaree, and White Shield segments. A reservation-wide election of the tribal chief judge was also held last week. As of press time, the board has held one official recount of New Town/Little Shell election and a separate hearing on two Mandaree challenges. The board certified the New Town recount results on Thursday of last week. The hearing on the Mandaree challenges was closed to the public. The election board also reportedly scheduled a hearing of two White Shield district challenges on Wednesday of this week. Two Mandaree council candidates, Strahs and Vigen, also confirmed to the New Town News that they were notified that a recount of the Mandaree election results would be held on Thursday of this week. The tribal press office released the official certification of the Mandaree, White Shield, and tribal chief judge races late Wednesday last week. The results of the New Town/Little Shell segment race were not certified until after a special recount was held on Thursday afternoon, the following day. In the official release, there was no reason given for the recount. However, the official results confirmed that the primary election winners, Scott Eagle and Donna Morgan, will be on the general election ballot in November. In Mandaree, Arnold Strahs and Randy Phelan were also declared the official winners in the primary election for tribal council. Tribal council incumbent Frank White Calfe and challenger, Fred Fox, were also announced as the official winners in the White Shield district. With more than 1,000 votes in the race for tribal chief judge, the board also officially declared Vance Gillette the winner of both the primary and the general election.
Election board takes on both election challenges, recounts
