Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Throws Out Election

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Supreme Court

Native Brief: TALEQUAH, OKLAHOMA - Citing the lack of ability to determine the June 25th election "with mathematical certainty or to certify a successful candidate for the Office of Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation," the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court threw out the election results of the vote cast for Principal Chief.

So the June 25 election's results between the current Principal Chief Chad Smith and Bill John Baker will never be known.

After the election, the race teetered back and forth with no clear winner. Even with recounts and court maneuvers, there was not a clear winner named. With that, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court's final order declared the June election for Office of Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation invalid.

"According to law, the Principal Chief will set an election in the coming days. In the immediate future, the Cherokee people will have a number of questions on how the process will be administered," writes Tribal Council Speaker Meredith Frailey in a prepared written statement. "The Tribal Council will help ensure that every rule is followed and every law obeyed, and that safeguards are in place to ensure that the Cherokee people's voice is heard in this election."

The Tribal Council has requested that the Cherokee Nation Election Commission hire an independent election service to assist in the upcoming special election to ensure a well-administrated and transparent election.

There has not been a date set for the election at press time.

posted July 23, 2011 6:57 am edt