2021 Cherokee Nation elections
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9 of the 17 seats in the Tribal Council | ||
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The 2021 Cherokee Nation elections took place on July 5, 2021, and July 24, 2021.[1][2] 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 2021, elections were held for districts 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, and for one of the at-large seats.[3]
The 2021 Cherokee Nation elections were the first Cherokee Nation elections to have their official results posted online, with results posted on election.cherokee.org. Prior to 2021, results would be posted on the window of the election commission building for public viewing. Social distancing and mask wearing were required at polling places as well due to an executive order issued by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.[1]
Retiring[]
Term Limited
Retiring
General Election[]
Nine of the seventeen seats on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council had elections in 2021. In order to win a seat on the Tribal Council, a candidate must receive 50% plus one vote. If no candidate receives 50% plus one vote, then a runoff election is held between the two top vote earning candidates.[6]
Incumbent Tribal Councilors Mike Dobbins, E.O. Smith, Mike Shambaugh, and Victoria Vazquez won their seats outright in the general election.[7] Danny Callison, a retired teacher, defeated former Tribal Councilor Meredith Frailey in district 15.[5]
Districts 2, 7, 10, and the at-large seat all proceeded to runoff elections.[7]
The voter turnout for the June 5th general election was 8,940 out of 55,597, or 16.08%.[8]
District 2[]
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Joe Byrd was term limited.[4]
Candidates
- Candessa Tehee[9]
- Dusty Fore[9]
- Vicki Creel[9]
- Claude Stover[9]
- Bobby Stover[9]
- Tonya Teaney[9]
- Jami Murphy[9]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Candace Teehee | 219 | 32.21% | |
Nonpartisan | Dusty Fore | 112 | 16.47% | |
Nonpartisan | Vicki Creel | 1 | 0.15% | |
Nonpartisan | Claude Stover | 31 | 4.56% | |
Nonpartisan | Bobby Slover | 200 | 29.41% | |
Nonpartisan | Tonya Teaney | 6 | 0.88% | |
Nonpartisan | Jami Murphy | 111 | 16.32% | |
Total votes | 680 | 100.0% |
District 4[]
Candidates
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Sarah Cowett | 78 | 13.38% | |
Nonpartisan | Mike Dobbins | 505 | 86.62% | |
Total votes | 583 | 100.0% |
District 5[]
Candidates
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | E.O. Smith | 586 | 81.62% | |
Nonpartisan | Richard W. Tyler | 34 | 4.74% | |
Nonpartisan | RL Bell | 98 | 13.65% | |
Total votes | 718 | 100.0% |
District 7[]
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Canaan Duncan did not file for re-election.[4]
Candidates
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Gena Kirk | 61 | 6.05% | |
Nonpartisan | David Comingdeer | 450 | 44.64% | |
Nonpartisan | Joshua Sam | 497 | 49.31% | |
Total votes | 1,008 | 100.0% |
District 9[]
Candidates
- Mike Shambaugh, Incumbent Tribal Councilor and Jay Police Chief[13]
- Lawrence Panther[13]
- Joyce Nix McCarter[13]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Mike Shambaugh | 575 | 59.16% | |
Nonpartisan | Lawrence Panther | 249 | 25.62% | |
Nonpartisan | Joyce Nix McCarter | 148 | 15.23% | |
Total votes | 972 | 100.0% |
District 10[]
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Harley Buzzard was term limited[4]
Candidates
- Melvina Shotpouch, former Tribal Councilor of three terms[9]
- Darrel Hicks[9]
- Shaunda Handle-Davis[9]
- Cody Williams[9]
- Dennis Ackley[9]
- John Ann Masters Thompson[9]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Melvina Shotpouch | 294 | 34.92% | |
Nonpartisan | Darrel Hicks | 13 | 1.54% | |
Nonpartisan | Shaunda Handle-Davis | 302 | 35.87% | |
Nonpartisan | Cody Williams | 13 | 1.54% | |
Nonpartisan | Dennis Ackley | 6 | 0.71% | |
Nonpartisan | John Ann Masters Thompson | 214 | 25.42% | |
Total votes | 842 | 100.0% |
District 11[]
Candidates
- Mason Hudson[14]
- Victoria M. Vazquez, Incumbent Tribal Councilor[14]
- Randy Junior White[14]
- Mike Purcell[14]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Mason Hudson | 1 | 0.13% | |
Nonpartisan | Victoria M. Vazquez | 486 | 62.95% | |
Nonpartisan | Randy Junior White | 49 | 6.35% | |
Nonpartisan | Mike Purcell | 236 | 30.57% | |
Total votes | 772 | 100.0% |
District 15[]
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Janees Taylor was term limited after serving two consecutive terms on the Tribal Council.[5]
Candidates
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Danny Callison | 484 | 59.83% | |
Nonpartisan | Meredith Frailey | 325 | 40.17% | |
Total votes | 809 | 100.0% |
At-Large District[]
Incumbent Mary Baker Shaw did not run for re-election.[4]
Candidates
- Wallace Ryan Craig[9]
- Marilyn Vann[9]
- Mary-Charlotte Grayson[9]
- Shawna Johnson[9]
- Matthew Benjamin Scraper[9]
- Robin Mayes[9]
- Kyle Haskins[9]
- Johnny Jack Kidwell[9]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Wallace Ryan Craig | 6 | 0.24% | |
Nonpartisan | Marilyn Vann | 569 | 22.37% | |
Nonpartisan | Mary-Charlotte Grayson | 150 | 5.9% | |
Nonpartisan | Shawna Johnson | 7 | 0.28% | |
Nonpartisan | Matthew Benjamin Scrapper | 75 | 2.95% | |
Nonpartisan | Robin Mayes | 37 | 1.45% | |
Nonpartisan | Kyle Haskins | 688 | 27.04% | |
Nonpartisan | Johnny Jack Kidwell | 1,012 | 39.78% | |
Total votes | 2,544 | 100.0% |
Runoff Election[]
Districts 2, 7, 10, and the at-large seat all had runoff elections.[4]
Current results are unofficial numbers released by the Cherokee Nation.[15]
District 2[]
Bobby Slover and Candessa Tehee advanced to the runoff election for district 2.[16]
On July 25, Candess Teehee, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was reported as the unofficial winner of the district 2 by seven votes by the Cherokee Phoenix. However eighteen ballots had been challenged and a recount was still possible.[17]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Candessa Tehee | 367 | 50.48% | |
Nonpartisan | Bobby Slover | 360 | 49.52% | |
Total votes | 727 | 100% |
District 7[]
Joshua Sam and David Coming deer advanced to the runoff election for district 7.[18]
Joshua Sam, of Stilwell, Oklahoma,[18] won the Tribal Council race.[19]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Joshua Sam | 638 | 51.79% | |
Nonpartisan | David Comingdeer | 594 | 48.21% | |
Total votes | 1,232 | 100% |
District 10[]
Shaunda Handle-Davis and Melvina Shotpouch advanced to the runoff election for district 10.[20]
Melvina Shotpouch, of Eucha, Oklahoma, won the Tribal Council race.[21]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Melvina Shotpouch | 384 | 58.63% | |
Nonpartisan | Shaunda Handle-Davis | 271 | 41.37% | |
Total votes | 655 | 100% |
At-Large District[]
Johnny Jack Kidwell and Kyle Haskins advanced to the runoff election for the at-large district.[22]
Johnny Jack Kidwell, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, won the Tribal Council race.[23]
Election Results[]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Johnny Jack Kidwell | 1,525 | 60.3% | |
Nonpartisan | Kyle Haskins | 1,004 | 39.7% | |
Total votes | 1,529 | 100% |
District 2 Election Fraud[]
In May 2021, a campaign volunteer for Bobby Slover in district 2, Lisa Dawn Cookson, was arrested and charged with election fraud for filling out and signing absentee ballot request forms without the consent of voters. Over 90 ballots were effected.[24][25] Cookson was charged with one count of election fraud and six counts of false personation. Each count of election fraud or false personation carries a penalty of up to three years per count or a maximum fine of $15,000.[25] On July 15, Cookson pleaded not guilty to the charges.[26]
On July 21, 2021, the Cherokee Nation Attorney General's office charged losing candidate Bobby Slover with "unlawfully and knowingly" accepting a $1,000 donation from the corporation Action Floors LLC. Cherokee Nation election law states that donations may only be made by "individual natural persons".[26] On August 2, 2021, the Cherokee Nation Election Commission fined Slover $3,000 and disqualified him from the race.[27]
Legal challenges[]
On February 1, 2021, candidate Robin Mayes filed a legal challenge to disqualify Marilyn Vann from the election on the basis she did not meet the Cherokee "by blood" requirement to hold office in the Cherokee Constitution. Mayes argued that freedmen, the descendants of slaves owned by Cherokee citizens, were ineligible from holding office in the Cherokee Nation.[28] On February 21, 2021, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court ruled that the "by blood" language in Cherokee law is void and should be removed in line with Cherokee Nation v. Nash. Vann remained on the ballot.[29]
On June 14, 2021, candidate Robin Mayes filed a legal challenge to the June 5th election and requested a new election. Mayes argued that the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court's striking of "by blood" requirements for office should "void" the election. The complaint was dismissed by the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court and described as a "frivolous action".[30]
On August 3, 2021, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court rejected petitions for recounts of the run-off elections in districts 2 and 7.[31][32]
On August 8, 2021, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court rejected a complaint alleging voter fraud in district 7 as "frivolous and dismissed with prejudice for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted."[33]
References[]
- ^ a b Hunter, Chad (20 May 2021). "Election night results will be online for first time". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Staff Reports (19 July 2021). "Cherokee Nation runoff election set for July 24". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (4 June 2021). "EC preps for Election Day voting". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Hunter, Chad (30 July 2021). "Runoffs decide last 4 Tribal Council seats". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Bark, Lindsey (30 July 2021). "Callison wins Dist. 15 Tribal Council seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Staff Reports (5 July 2021). "Click here for Cherokee Nation election results". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b Tomlinson, Joe (6 June 2021). "Cherokee Nation Tribal Council election results: 41-year educator beats former speaker". NonDoc. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (11 June 2021). "Ballot order set for Cherokee Nation runoff races". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "2021 General Election". elections.cherokee.org. Cherokee Nation. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Cherokee Nation General Election Official Results" (PDF). election.cherokee.org. Cherokee Nation. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ a b Bark, Lindsey (30 July 2021). "Dobbins maintains Dist. 4 Tribal Council seat". Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Rowley, D. Sean (30 July 2021). "Smith handily wins re-election to Dist. 5 seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Hunter, Chad (30 July 2021). "Shambaugh retains Dist. 9 seat for 2nd term". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d Rowley, D. Sean (30 July 2021). "Vazquez retains Dist. 11 post with 63% of vote". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Cherokee Nation General Election Runoff Unofficial Results" (PDF). election.cherokee.org. Cherokee Nation. 25 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Rowley, D. Sean (6 June 2021). "Dist. 2 headed to runoff between Slover, Tehee". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Rowley, D. Sean (25 July 2021). "Tehee named unofficial winner of Dist. 2 by 7 votes". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b Bark, Lindsey (6 June 2021). "Sam, Comingdeer head to runoff for Dist. 7 seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (25 July 2021). "Sam secures Dist. 7 seat in runoff race". Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (6 June 2021). "Handle-Davis, Shotpouch top Dist. 10 race". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Bark, Lindsey (24 July 2021). "Shotpouch returns to serve as Dist. 10 Tribal Councilor". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (6 June 2021). "Kidwell, Haskins headed for At-Large showdown". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Bark, Lindsey (24 June 2021). "Kidwell wins runoff for At-Large Tribal Council seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (6 May 2021). "Tribe charges Tahlequah woman with election fraud". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b Hunter, Chad (16 July 2021). "Tahlequah woman pleads not guilty to election crimes". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ a b Hunter, Chad (29 July 2021). "UPDATE: Dist. 2 Tribal Council candidate charged with accepting illegal contribution". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (4 August 2021). "Election Commission tosses, fines Slover for campaign contribution". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (2 February 2021). "Election complaint filed over Freedmen descendant's eligibility". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (30 March 2021). "Supreme Court says challenged candidates eligible". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (29 June 2021). "Candidate's appeal for new election denied". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Supreme-Court-Order-Recount.pdf" (PDF). election.cherokee.org. Cherokee Nation. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ Tomlinson, Joe (10 August 2021). "Cherokee Nation election concludes with disqualified candidate, failed legal challenge". NonDoc. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ Hunter, Chad (11 August 2021). "High court dismisses Tribal Council Dist. 7 election appeal". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- 2021 Oklahoma elections
- 2021 tribal elections in the United States
- Cherokee Nation elections