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After elections, new Tribal Council will include only five incumbents

Yesterday’s Tribal Council elections delivered a blow to incumbents, with only three of the seven councilmembers who both supported the impeachment of former Principal Chief Patrick Lambert and ran for re-election winning another term in office.

Meanwhile, the two anti-impeachment incumbents who ran for re-election came in first in their districts, earning at least a 7 percent larger share of the vote than their closest opponents.

After coming in second place in the primary election, Birdtown Councilmember Travis Smith sank to last place in the general election, earning just 19.2 percent of the vote in the four-person race. Chairman Dennis Edward “Bill” Taylor, of Wolfetown, and Councilmember Anita Lossiah, of Yellowhill, didn’t budge from their fourth-place finishes in the June Primary Election, joining Smith in his last-place finish. Councilmember Marie Junaluska, of Painttown, didn’t make it past the primaries.

Though Councilmember Albert Rose, of Birdtown, came in second place to win another term in office, his numbers suffered compared to the 2015 election, when he delivered a first-place finish head and shoulders above the competition, with 37.3 percent of the vote. This time around, he came in second behind newcomer Boyd Owle and earned only 25.7 percent of the vote — only 12 votes ahead of third-place finisher Ashley Sessions.

Only two councilmembers who supported impeachment delivered a finish comparable to, though slightly lower than, the 2015 race — Adam Wachacha, of Snowbird, and Bo Crowe, of Wolfetown. Crowe came in first with 34.7 percent of the vote, not too far from the 39.7 percent he took in 2015 and 128 votes ahead of second-place Jeremy Wilson. Wachacha, meanwhile, came in second place with 26.8 percent of the vote, similar to his 2015 second-place finish with 28.8 percent of the vote. However, with Vice Chairman Brandon Jones, of Snowbird, opting not to run this year, Wachacha’s second-place finish was behind newcomer Bucky Brown rather than behind another incumbent.

Tommye Saunooke, of Painttown, and Richard French, of Big Cove — both of whom had adamantly opposed the impeachment — delivered decisive first-place finishes, with 33.5 percent and 30.4 percent of the vote, respectively.

A recount is likely in the race for Painttown Tribal Council, as the three candidates finishing behind Saunooke are separated by only three votes.

 

Tribal Council results

Big Cove

Richard French*, 236 (33.5%)

Perry Shell**, 174 (24.7%)

Fred Penick, 162 (23%)

Lori Taylor, 133 (18.9%)

Total: 705

Birdtown

Boyd Owle, 506 (30.1%)

Albert Rose*, 431 (25.7%)

Ashley Sessions, 419 (25%)

Travis Smith*, 323 (19.2%)

Total: 1679

Painttown

Tommye Saunooke, 208 (30.4%)

Lisa Taylor, 160 (23.4%)

Terri Henry, 159 (23.2%)

Yona Wade, 157 (23%)

Total: 684

Snowbird/Cherokee County

Bucky Brown, 237 (27.1%)

Adam Wachacha*, 234 (26.8%)

Larry Blythe**, 210 (24%)

Janell Rattler, 193 (22.1%)

Total: 874

Wolfetown/Big Y

Bo Crowe*, 513 (34.7%)

Jeremy Wilson, 385 (26%)

Sam “Frell” Reed, 344 (23.3%)

Dennis Edward (Bill) Taylor*, 238 (16.1%)

Total: 1,480

Yellowhill

David Wolfe**, 254 (35.5%)

Tom Wahnetah, 212 (29.6%)

Charles Penick, 148 (20.7%)

Anita Welch Lossiah*, 102 (14.2%)

Total: 716

* denotes incumbent

** denotes former Tribal Council member

BOX

School board results

Big Cove School Board

Karen “French” Browning, 206 (55.2%)

Tammy Bradley, 167 (44.8%)

Total: 373

 

Birdtown School Board

Gloria “Punkin” Griffen, 505 (56%)

Sasha McCoy Watty, 397 (44%)

Total: 902

Wolfetown School Board

Isaac (Ike) Long, 290 (51.2%)

Chelsea Taylor Saunooke, 276 (48.8%)

Total: 566

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