2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections

2023 Cherokee Nation tribal council elections
June 3, 2023 (general)
July 8, 2023 (runoff)
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.

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

Results

District 1
CandidateFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Sasha Blackfox-Qualls68645.0775356.15
Dale Lee Glory58638.5058843.85
Trae Ratliff16110.58
Brian Jackson895.85
Total1,522100.001,341100.00
Valid votes1,52299.671,341100.00
Invalid/blank votes50.3300.00
Total votes1,527100.001,341100.00
Source: [8]
District 3
CandidateFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Lisa Hall50043.5550862.10
Sara Drywater-Barnett33329.0131037.90
Joseph Tali Byrd11510.02
Dyllon Fite857.40
Brandon L. Girty756.53
Brian Speake403.48
Total1,148100.00818100.00
Valid votes1,14899.14818100.00
Invalid/blank votes100.8600.00
Total votes1,158100.00818100.00
Source: [8]
District 6
CandidateVotes%
Daryl Legg88476.14
Steve Russell22119.04
Dustin W. Bush564.82
Total1,161100.00
Valid votes1,16199.15
Invalid/blank votes100.85
Total votes1,171100.00
Source: [8]
District 8
CandidateFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Codey Poindexter32439.3241361.64
Jillian Decker16520.0225738.36
John Teehee9111.04
Jerry Don Hardbarger647.77
Troy Littledeer637.65
Timothy Fishinghawk627.52
Jon Minor556.67
Total824100.00670100.00
Valid votes82499.76670100.00
Invalid/blank votes20.2400.00
Total votes826100.00670100.00
Source: [8]
District 12
CandidateVotes%
Dora Patzkowski58781.08
Crystal St. John13718.92
Total724100.00
Valid votes72498.37
Invalid/blank votes121.63
Total votes736100.00
Source: [8]
District 13
CandidateVotes%
Joe Deere53378.61
Ed Phillips14521.39
Total678100.00
Valid votes67896.58
Invalid/blank votes243.42
Total votes702100.00
Source: [8]
District 14
CandidateVotes%
Kevin Easley Jr.84774.89
Warren L. Murray19016.80
Carrie Ann Vargas948.31
Total1,131100.00
Valid votes1,13199.30
Invalid/blank votes80.70
Total votes1,139100.00
Source: [8]
At-large district
CandidateVotes%
Julia Coates2,64072.47
James Smay45212.41
Jared Coody3559.74
Craig Hood1965.38
Total3,643100.00
Valid votes3,64398.04
Invalid/blank votes731.96
Total votes3,716100.00
Source: [8]

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. ^ "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. ^ a b c d Hunter, Chad (February 9, 2023). "41 file for office in Cherokee Nation". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "2023 Elections Official Results" (PDF). Cherokee Nation Election Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2023.
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