This spring and summer, several tribal nations in Oklahoma, including some of the larger tribes in the state, will hold elections for key positions including tribal leaders and district council seats. This includes the Cherokee Nation, the Choctaw Nation and the Muscogee Nation among others.
Saturday will be a particularly busy day for elections, with voters from The Cherokee Nation, Sac & Fox Nation and Iowa Tribe heading to their respective polls.
Even if you're not a citizen of one of these tribal nations, these elections still affect you.
A 2022 economic impact report shows tribes have billions of dollars in economic impact on the state. Tribal nations employ citizens and non-citizens, provide health care through that employment, and employ people in the healthcare field.
Tribal nations are also key funders of social service organizations. For example in Shawnee, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation funds House of Hope, which is available to anyone living within CPN boundaries.
These factors and the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, which says that much of eastern Oklahoma remained a reservation for the purposes of criminal justice, intertwines people's lives on the reservation. Tribal leaders’ decisions ripple out far further than in their respective nation.
Here are some of the elections to watch around the state this weekend:
Cherokee Nation
Election Date: June 3, 2023
Polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Polling places can be found here.
Seats up for election include:
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief:
Deputy Principal Chief:
- Bryan Warner (incumbent)
- David Walkingstick
- Meredith Frailey
- Bill Pearson
At Large Tribal Council:
- Julia Coates (incumbent)
- Jared Coody
- Craig Hood
- James Smay
District 1 Tribal Council:
- Sasha Blackfox-Qualls
- Dale Lee Glory
- Brian Jackson
- Trae Ratliff
District 3 Tribal Council:
- Brandon L. Girty
- Sara Drywater Barnett
- Dyllon Fite
- Joseph Tali Byrd
- Lisa Robison Hall
- Brian Speake
District 6 Tribal Council:
- Steven Russell
- Daryl Legg
- Dustin W. Bush
Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma
Election Date: primary on June 3, 2023, general on August 26, 2023
Polls open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Polling Places: Shawnee Multi-Purpose Center, Sac and Fox Cultural Center in Stroud and First Indian Baptist Church in Cushing
Seats up for election include:
Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma
Principal Chief:
- Chris Boyd
- Angela D. Gasper
- Lavonda K. Youngman
- Randle Carter
- Billy Ray Tiger Jr.
Second Chief:
- Tyrone Grass
- Clarissa June Littlehead
- Audrey Rose Lee
- Justin Roubideaux
Committee Member:
- C. Juaquin Hamilton-Youngbird
- Greg Morris
- Henry O. Hunter
- Robert E. Williamson
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
Election Date: June 3rd, 2023
Polling Place: Iowa Tribal Grounds, Perkins
Who is Running:
Chairman:
- Alexandria Harjo
- Jacob Keyes
Treasurer:
- Judy Barnes
- Alexandria Gibbs
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
