Rocky Boy Tribal election still on, for now

Tuesday's election of the members of the Chippewa Cree Tribal council was still on this morning, while both sides affected by a request for injunction, filed in Tribal Court last week, awaited a judge's decision.

"We told everyone to continue as is," Chippewa Cree Tribal Attorney LeAnne Montes said this morning. "We will have the election unless the court issues an order otherwise."

The election would select four of the eight candidates who advanced from the October primary election to sit on the next council. A candidate, who did not advance from the primary, filed an injunction last week requesting the general election be delayed until a new primary is held.

Stacey Small and a group of other primary candidates filed the injunction and a complaint saying the election board had not properly conducted background checks on all the candidates.

The general election is scheduled to be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Old Stone Child College gymnasium, a different polling place that for the Hill County general election.

The polls for the county election will be at the Chippewa Cree Wellness Center gymnasium.

The candidates who advanced from the primary to the general election in the Tribal council race are Harlan Gopher Baker, Tim Koop, Ricky Morsette, Neal Rosette Sr., Gerald Small, Russell Standing Rock, Ted E. Whitford Sr. and Jonathan Windy Boy.

Three tribal ballot issues also have been proposed: an amendment to regulations on absentee ballots, a proposal to amend the appointment of poll watchers and an amendment to increase the fee to file an election protest from $250 to $500 for each candidate protesting and an additional cash deposit of $500 from each protesting candidate if a new election is ordered by the election board.

Eligible voters are duly enrolled members of the Tribe who are at least 18 years old on Election Day and who provide a Chippewa Cree Tribal identification card at the polling place.

Tuesday's election of the members of the Chippewa Cree Tribal council was still on this morning, while both sides affected by a request for injunction, filed in Tribal Court last week, awaited a judge's decision.

"We told everyone to continue as is," Chippewa Cree Tribal Attorney LeAnne Montes said this morning. "We will have the election unless the court issues an order otherwise."

The election would select four of the eight candidates who advanced from the October primary election to sit on the next council. A candidate, who did not advance from the primary, filed an injunction last week requesting the general election be delayed until a new primary is held.

Stacey Small and a group of other primary candidates filed the injunction and a complaint saying the election board had not properly conducted background checks on all the candidates.

The general election is scheduled to be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Old Stone Child College gymnasium, a different polling place that for the Hill County general election.

The polls for the county election will be at the Chippewa Cree Wellness Center gymnasium.

The candidates who advanced from the primary to the general election in the Tribal council race are Harlan Gopher Baker, Tim Koop, Ricky Morsette, Neal Rosette Sr., Gerald Small, Russell Standing Rock, Ted E. Whitford Sr. and Jonathan Windy Boy.

Three tribal ballot issues also have been proposed: an amendment to regulations on absentee ballots, a proposal to amend the appointment of poll watchers and an amendment to increase the fee to file an election protest from $250 to $500 for each candidate protesting and an additional cash deposit of $500 from each protesting candidate if a new election is ordered by the election board.

Eligible voters are duly enrolled members of the Tribe who are at least 18 years old on Election Day and who provide a Chippewa Cree Tribal identification card at the polling place.