2023_Cherokee_Nation_tribal_council_elections

2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections

2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections

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The 2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections took place concurrently with the 2023 Cherokee Nation principal chief election and 2023 Cherokee Nation deputy chief election on June 3, 2023, with runoff elections, where necessary, held on July 8, 2023. The Cherokee Nation's Tribal Council is made up of seventeen Tribal Councilors elected from the fifteen districts within the reservation boundaries and two at-large seats.

Quick Facts 8 of the 17 seats in the Tribal Council ...

In 2023, tribal council elections were scheduled to be held for districts 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, and for one of the at-large seats.

Background

The 2023 Cherokee Nation elections were scheduled to take place on June 3, 2023, with runoff elections scheduled for July 8, 2023. The swearing in of elected officials took place on August 14, 2023.[1] The election was the first election where the Cherokee Nation Election Commission had an in-house investigator to investigate election code violations.[2] The election also utilized 70 new voting machines to replace the older 2012 models used in prior elections.[3] Eight out of the seventeen seats on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council were scheduled to have elections in 2023. In order to win a seat on the Tribal Council, a candidate must receive 50% plus one vote. If no candidate received 50% plus one vote, then a runoff election was held between the two top vote earning candidates.[4]

As of May 2023, there were 78,419 registered voters – 44,592 within the reservation and 33,827 at-large.[5]

A complaint by District 1 candidate Trae Ratliff alleged that absentee ballots could be read through envelopes with the use of a flashlight. While the Cherokee Nation Election Commission made clear the envelopes were the same as past elections, they unanimously voted to order heavier envelopes for the runoff election and all future elections.[6]

Retiring

Term limited

Retiring

District 1

Incumbent Rex Jordan was term limited.[7] Sasha Blackfox-Qualls won the runoff election.[8]

Candidates

Winner

Eliminated in the runoff election

  • Dale Lee Glory[9]

Eliminated in the general election

  • Brian Jackson[4]
  • Trae Ratliff[4]

General election

More information Candidate, Votes ...

District 3

Incumbent Wes Nofire ran for principal chief.[7] Lisa Hall won the runoff election.[8]

Candidates

Winner

Eliminated in the runoff election

  • Sara Drywater-Barnett[10]

Eliminated in the general election

District 6

Incumbent Daryl Legg won re-election.[12]

Candidates

District 8

Incumbent Shawn Crittenden is term limited.[7]

Codey Poindexter won the runoff election.[8]

Candidates

Winner

  • Codey Poindexter[8]

Eliminated in the runoff election

Eliminated in the general election

District 12

Incumbent Dora Patzkowski won re-election.[16]

Candidates

District 13

Incumbent Joe Deere won re-election.[18]

Candidates

District 14

Incumbent Keith Austin was term limited.[7] Kevin Easley Jr. won the general election.[20]

Candidates

  • Kevin Easley Jr.[21]
  • Warren Murray[21]
  • Carrie Ann Vargas[21]

At-large district

Incumbent Julia Coates won re-election.[22]

Candidates

References

  1. [1]
    Hunter, Chad (April 5, 2023). "Cherokee Nation's 2023 election timeline". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  2. [2]
    Hunter, Chad (April 4, 2023). "First election season for Election Commission investigator". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  3. [3]
    Hunter, Chad (April 4, 2023). "New voting machines to be used for first time". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  4. [4]
    "CN Election 2023: District 1 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 10, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  5. [5]
    Hunter, Chad (May 31, 2023). "Absentee request deadline June 12 for run-off". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. [6]
    Hunter, Chad (May 10, 2023). "Election panel agrees to heavier 'secrecy' envelopes". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  7. [7]
    Hunter, Chad (February 9, 2023). "41 file for office in Cherokee Nation". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  8. [8]
    Crumbacher, Katrina (July 9, 2023). "New members elected to Cherokee Nation Tribal Council". NonDoc. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  9. [9]
    Boston, Stacie (June 4, 2023). "Blackfox-Qualls, Glory move forward to Dist. 1 run-off race". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  10. [10]
    Boston, Stacie (June 4, 2023). "Robison-Hall, Drywater-Barnett continue to Dist. 3 run-off race". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  11. [11]
    "CN Election 2023: District 3 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 10, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  12. [12]
    Rowley, D. Sean (June 4, 2023). "Legg holds District 6 seat against two challengers". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  13. [13]
    "CN Election 2023: District 6 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 11, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  14. [14]
    Hunter, Chad (June 4, 2023). "District 8 candidates headed for run-off". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  15. [15]
    "CN Election 2023: District 8 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 11, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  16. [16]
    Bark, Lindsey (June 4, 2023). "Patzkowski keeps District 12 seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  17. [17]
    "CN Election 2023: District 12 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 12, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  18. [18]
    Bark, Lindsey (June 4, 2023). "Deere leaps to victory in District 13 race". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  19. [19]
    "CN Election 2023: District 13 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 12, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  20. [20]
    Bark, Lindsey (June 4, 2023). "Easley Jr. easily wins District 14 seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  21. [21]
    "CN Election 2023: District 14 Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 13, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  22. [22]
    Hunter, Chad (June 4, 2023). "Coates coasts to another at-large win". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  23. [23]
    "CN Election 2023: At-Large Tribal Council candidates Q&A". Cherokee Phoenix. April 13, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
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