2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections

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2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections
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←  2021 June 3, 2023 (general)
July 9, 2023 (runoff)		2025 →
8 of the 17 seats in the Tribal Council

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.

Contents

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

Eliminated in the general election

General election

2023 Cherokee Nation Tribal Council district 1 election [9]
CandidateVotes %
Sasha Blackfox-Qualls 65844.46%
Dale Lee Glory57839.05%
Trae Ratliff15510.47%
Brian Jackson896.01%
Total votes1,480 100%

District 3

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

Candidates

Winner

Eliminated in the runoff election

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

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

At-large district

Incumbent Julia Coates won re-election. [22]

Candidates

Related Research Articles

The 2019 Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma principal chief election was held on Saturday, June 1, 2019. Former Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. defeated Tribal Councilman Dick Lay in the election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 United States elections</span>

The 2023 United States elections were held, in large part, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. The off-year election included gubernatorial and state legislative elections in a few states, as well as numerous citizen initiatives, mayoral races, and a variety of other local offices on the ballot. At least three special elections to the United States Congress were scheduled as either deaths or vacancies arose. The Democratic Party retained control of the governorship in Kentucky, flipped the Wisconsin Supreme Court and held a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, gained six seats in the New Jersey General Assembly, and won back unified control of the Virginia General Assembly, while Republicans also flipped the governorship in Louisiana and narrowly retained Mississippi's governorship. The election cycle also saw Ohio voting to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution and legalize cannabis for recreational use. The results were widely seen as a success for the Democratic Party.

The 2021 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections took place on July 5, 2021, and July 24, 2021. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Nofire</span> Cherokee politician

John Wesley "Wes" Nofire is a Cherokee Nation and American politician and a former heavyweight professional boxer who has served as the Oklahoma Native American Affairs Liaison since 2023. During his boxing career Nofire fought under the name "The Cherokee Warrior". Nofire served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council between 2019 and 2023. He was a Republican candidate in the 2022 primary election for Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district and candidate in the 2023 Cherokee Nation principal chief election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cara Cowan Watts</span> American politician

Cara Cowan Watts is a Cherokee Nation politician. She served on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council from 2003 to 2015 and was a candidate for Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in the 2023 Cherokee Nation principal chief election.

Joseph Tali Byrd is a Cherokee Nation and Quapaw Nation politician who served as the Quapaw Nation Chairman from 2020 until his resignation in 2023.

The 2023 Cherokee Nation deputy chief election was held on June 3, 2023, concurrently with the 2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections and 2023 Cherokee Nation principal chief election, to elect the Deputy Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Incumbent deputy chief Bryan Warner ran for re-election to a second term in office with incumbent principal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. as his running mate. Warner won re-election with over 61% of the vote.

Bryan Warner is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served as the deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation since 2019 and who served as the Cherokee Nation tribal councilor for the 6th district from 2015 to 2019.

David Walkingstick is a Cherokee Nation politician who served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council between 2011 and 2019.

Meredith Frailey is a Cherokee Nation politician who served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council from 2003 to 2013.

Keith Austin is a Cherokee Nation and American politician who served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council representing the 14th District between 2015 and 2023.

Daryl Legg is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served as the member of the Cherokee Nation tribal council for the 6th district since 2019.

Dora Patzkowski is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served as the Cherokee Nation tribal councilor for the 12th district since 2019.

Joe Deere is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council representing the 13th district since 2019.

Julia Coates is a Cherokee Nation politician serving as one of the two at-large Cherokee Nation tribal councilors since 2019. She was one of the first elected at-large tribal councilors in 2007 and served until term limited in 2015.

Mike Shambaugh is an American and Cherokee Nation politician, baseball player, and police officer who has served on the Cherokee Nation tribal councilor representing the 9th district since 2017 and as speaker of the Cherokee Nation tribal council since 2021.

Candessa Tehee is a Cherokee Nation artist, professor, and politician who has served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council since 2021. She was named a Cherokee National Treasure in 2019.

Melvina Shotpouch is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council since 2021. She served three prior terms on the council from 1991 to 1995 and from 1999 to 2007.

Sasha Blackfox-Qualls is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council since 2023.

Lisa Robison Hall is a Cherokee Nation politician who has served as the Cherokee Nation tribal councillor for the 3rd district since 2023.

References

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