The Cherokee chief election

[badger]

Just in time to celebrate our freedoms as Americans, a sovereign tribal election for chief!

This past weekend, the challenger, Bill John Baker was declared the winner... 7600 to 7589. Yes, just 11 votes.

Link

Because of the slim margin, the election board reviewed the disputed ballots... and then declared incumbent chief Chad Smith the winner... 7609 to 7602. Just seven votes now.

Link

An emergency injunction was requested. Accusations of tampering were made.

And then, overnight, Bill John Baker was again declared the winner... 7613 7347... now a margin of 266 votes.

Link

The tribe's supreme court just certified the recount results.

I am not Cherokee (the Delaware Tribe has many members who are both, however) but wow, what a week for them. I have the feeling this battle is long from over.

[Midtowner]

Wouldn't the tribal court be the court of last resort? If not, Bush v. Gore is directly on point. You're entitled to due process, and in elections, once the vote/recount/whatever is certified, that's all the due process you get.

[badger]

I think so. Sovereign nation means they're self governing, right?

If you check out some of the articles, some of the discrepancies were human error, like clerical filing crap. Wouldn't it be funny if another typo, missing number, you name it, caused the election to be swayed back the other way again?

[soonerchk]

They can try to drag the BIA in to settle it, but it's unlikely that either the Cherokees or the BIA will want to go that route.

It's not over, I'm sure Smith will appeal and then we'll have another vote with all new numbers.

[sooner59]

That is a pretty big difference in votes. I don't know which one is guilty, or if both are, but me thinks there is some shenanigans goings on.

[soonerchk]

That is a pretty big difference in votes. I don't know which one is guilty, or if both are, but me thinks there is some shenanigans goings on.

I'm curious as to what was thrown out to get the new totals, and why.

[BudSooner]

It's far from over, and I doubt it gets resolved for another month.....or two.

[picasso]

Tribal politics suck.

[AlbqSooner]

Tribal politics suck.

True, regardless of the Tribe; virtuallly universal.

[The Ghost of Mex]

I think they should handle this using the old ways...no holds barred indian leg wrestling match to the finish.

[Breadburner]

I'm curious as to what was thrown out to get the new totals, and why.

They did not tally some 200 + absentee ballots....They were counted in the total of the ballots but not tallied for either candidate.....Which seems strange...Smith seems to think most of those would be for him....

[picasso]

They did not tally some 200 + absentee ballots....They were counted in the total of the ballots but not tallied for either candidate.....Which seems strange...Smith seems to think most of those would be for him....

Absentee votes are good for the guy who doesn't want folks to know what a suck job he's really done.

[Mississippi Sooner]

The Chickasaws don't have this problem. They just keep electing the same guy over and over and over again. Anoatubby is now on his seventh consecutive term.

[Breadburner]

Absentee votes are good for the guy who doesn't want folks to know what a suck job he's really done.

A vote is a vote.....

[picasso]

A vote is a vote.....

True but folks who just find out what's happening via the tribal newspaper ain't gettin' the whole story breadman.

[pphilfran]

Kiowa board throws out June 4 election

The Kiowa Hearing Board chairwoman said the tribe's election board denied fairness and due process when it denied candidates' protests to the tribe's June 4 election results.

Helen Poolaw delivered a sharply worded directive to the election board on Wednesday, she said, to clarify matters specifically in regard to the scheduled recall election for July 16.

In a memorandum addressed to the election board chairman, Dwayne Davis, Poolaw stated the following:

"On June 24, 2011, the Kiowa Hearing Board overturned the decision of the Kiowa Election Board to deny the election protest of candidates Ruth Toehay and Bruce Poolaw. The Board's decision was based on violations of the Kiowa Voting Rights Act that denied fairness and due process rights of the two protesters."

At the heart of the matter, Poolaw said, is the status of a recall election scheduled for July 16. She said it should have been handled before the June 4 general election.

"I told them to do the recall election first," Poolaw said

The special election is for the recall of Chairman Ron Twohatchet, Vice Chair Amber Toppah, Secretary Charlotte Bointy, and KBC members Alva D. Tsoodle, Ace Sahmaunt, Ricky Horse and Steve Smith for violating their oaths of office and the tribe's constitutions and bylaws. The special election notice was sent June 16 by Sharon Aitson, Kiowa Election Board clerk.

Toppah, Bointy, Tsoodle and Smith's names were all on the June 4 election ballots which have yet to be certified. Kiowa Election Board Chairman Dwayne Davis was called away from the meeting following the election due to a family emergency and protests by the two candidates had not been dealt with, Poolaw said. The special election was called but results of the June 4 election have not been certified, she said.

More at link....

http://swoknews.com/main.asp?Section...27&TM=43718.95

[soonerchk]

I love my job.

[GDC]

It's far from over, and I doubt it gets resolved for another month.....or two.

Yes, it might be contested all the way up to the inauguration on August 14.

[pphilfran]

I love my job.

[soonerchk]

Yes, it might be contested all the way up to the inauguration on August 14.

I figure that's a given.