Tribal vote is not considered binding

The unofficial vote count on a referendum at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation says the Fort Belknap Indian Community can continue administering some additional Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service programs on the reservation.

The count on Tuesday's referendum, asking the tribal council to rescind its May decision to contract with the federal government to administer additional programs, passed 858-198. But 1,436 votes, one-third of the reservation's registered voters, are needed to be cast to make it a binding referendum, tribal secretary treasurer Julie King Kulbeck said toda...