Mille Lacs Band elects new chief executive and more tribal election results

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe has elected a new chief executive, according to official results from the Tuesday, April 2, tribal primary elections.

Virgil Wind earned 67% of the vote in the race, with Samuel Moose coming in second place among three candidates.

Wind is the current District 1 representative on the Band Assembly. Because he earned more than 50% of the vote in the primary election, Wind is the winning candidate and will not need to move on to a general election.

Current Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin announced earlier this year she would not seek reelection for a seventh term.

Valerie Sam-Harrington and Carolyn Beaulieu were the top two vote-getters to replace Wind in District 1.

Thousands of members of Minnesota Chippewa Tribes cast ballots, including in Leech Lake, White Earth, Bois Forte, Fond du Lac and Grand Portage.

Incumbents who ran again for chairperson in Tuesday’s races will be moving on. All were the top vote-getters but failed to garner more than 50%.

This includes White Earth Chairman Michael Fairbanks, who will face Eugene “Umsy” Tibbetts; Leech Lake Chairman Faron Jackson Sr., facing Gerald White; Fond du Lac Chair Kevin Dupuis Sr., against Bruce Savage; and Bois Forte Chair Catherine Shavers, facing a challenge from Hannah Lehti-Chosa.

Next up is the June 11 general election.

More from KAXE

Farmer loans available after USDA declares Northern MN drought disaster area

The designation applies in Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods and St. Louis counties.

Local 4-H livestock competitors gain experience, ribbons at MN State Fair

Northern Minnesota competitors were among the youths who showed 2,778 animals at the 2026 state fair in St. Paul.

Looming federal hemp ban delayed by 4 weeks

Minnesota's U.S. senators issued statements applauding the bipartisan measure to delay the ban on hemp-derived products, which was originally slated to begin on Nov. 12, 2026.

Is Minnesota's boating safety law riding the wave toward success?

Lake associations around the U.S. have observed conflicts on lakes as popular water activities like wakesurfing take hold, prompting efforts to expand boater safety and etiquette training.

Man dies after apparent drowning near Eveleth

The man was reportedly paddleboarding with his juvenile daughter Sept. 1, 2026, when he fell into the lake and became unresponsive.

Minnesota Medicaid spending is accelerating, projected to reach $29B in 2029

The state’s Medicaid program, which insures many low-income, disabled, elderly and pregnant residents, is on track to jump 40% from 2025 to 2029 to $29 billion.

Koochiching County declared disaster area; DNR accepting comments on trail system

Plus: 4-H competitors show animals at Minnesota State Fair

'Too good to be true': School districts going for referendums to reduce taxes, not raise them

New state aid covers part of the operating levy for school districts that have lots of cabins. Some districts say they'll offset the levy if voters approve it, meaning more money for the school, while taxes stay the same or go down.

Itasca sheriff IDs woman who died in jail; MN Supreme Court rejects recount request

Plus: Sanford Health and North Memorial Health sign 10-year agreement with state AG for a merger; and the Beargrease sled dog race returns to "out-and-back" format for 2027 event.

Itasca County sheriff IDs woman who died while in jail custody

Deidre Lynn Mason was pronounced dead after being discovered unresponsive Aug. 28, 2026, in the Itasca County Jail.

Election results

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa

Chairperson

• Catherine Chavers (incumbent) — 157 votes, 41%.
• Hannah Lehti-Chosa — 125, 32%.
• Brian L. Whiteman Sr. — 74, 19%.
• Carlos Hernandez — 31, 8%.
  

District 1 Representative

• Perry L. Drift — 78 votes, 32%.
• Edward Villebrun — 55, 22%.
• William G. Isham — 47, 19%.
• Robbie Goggleye — 41, 17%.
• David H. Villebrun Jr. — 24, 10%.

Source: Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Facebook post.

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Chairperson

• Kevin R. DuPuis Sr. (incumbent) — 302 votes, 41.43%.
• Bruce M. Savage — 281, 38.55%.
• James Roy Blacketter Jr. — 74, 10.15%.
• Victoria A. Smith — 51, 7%.
• John A. McMillen — 21, 2.88%.

District 1 Committeeperson

• Wally Dupuis (incumbent) — 215 votes, 47.88%.
• Michelle Debolt — 84 votes, 18.71%.
• Kami Diver — 66, 14.7%.
• Valerie A. Whitebird — 53, 11.8%.
• Juanita "Nucka" Anderson — 22, 4.9%.
• David Petite Jr. — 9, 2%.

District 3 Committeeperson

• Roger M. Smith Sr. (incumbent) — 50 votes, 32.47%.
• Earl Otis — 45 votes, 29.22%.
• Bryan "Bear" Bosto — 41, 26.62%.
• Dawn M. LaPrairie — 15, 9.74%.
• Debra Johnson-Fuller — 3, 1.95%.

Source: Fond du Lac Band Facebook post.

Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Results unavailable.

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Chairman

• Faron Jackson Sr. (incumbent) — 580 votes, 36.87%.
• Gerald White — 297, 18.88%.
• Terri Finn-Goggleye — 240, 15.26%.
• Michael Reyes — 156, 9.92%.
• Walter "Frank" Reese — 139, 8.84%.
• Dawn Litzau-Staples — 68, 4.32%.
• Branden Bowstring — 64 votes, 4.07%.
• Tami Jackson — 12, 0.76%.
• Calvin Howard — 9, 0.57%.
• Raymond "Skip" Lyons — 8, 0.51%.

District 3 Representative

• Leon Staples Jr. — 270 votes, 25%.
• Glen "Tuffy" Fisher — 203, 18.8%.
• Donald "Mick" Finn — 152, 14.07%.
• Jennie Reyes — 102, 9.44%.
• Kari Fisherman — 100, 9.26%.
• Delmar Jones III — 80, 7.41%.
• Kyle Fairbanks Sr. — 78, 7.22%.
• Hershel Ogema — 28, 2.59%.
• Thomas Brown — 19, 1.76%.
• Julian Molash — 16, 1.48%.
• Diane Osceola — 14, 1.3%.
• Peter "Big Pete" Jackson — 11, 1.3%.
• John Johnson — 7, 0.65%.

Source: Leech Lake News.

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Chief Executive

• Virgil Otis Wind — 667 votes, 67.44%.
• Samuel Archie Moose — 303, 30.64%.
• Wallace Ervin St. John Sr. — 19, 1.92%.

District 1 Representative

• Valerie Charissa Sam-Harrington — 179 votes, 28.32%.
• Carolyn Marie Beaulieu — 176, 27.85%.
• Curtis Leroy Kalk — 94, 14.87%.
• Megan Ann Ballinger — 68, 10.76%.
• Melissa Marie Boyd — 68, 10.76%.
• Billie Jo Boyd — 47, 7.44%.

Source: Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Facebook post.

White Earth Nation

• Michael A. Fairbanks (incumbent) — 658 votes, 46.21%.
• Eugene "Umsy" Tibbetts — 605, 42.49%.
• Donovan G. Burnette — 140, 9.83%.
• Karen Marie Manypenny — 21, 1.47%.

Source: White Earth Nation Facebook post.