Minnesota Chippewa Tribe host primary elections for 6 member bands

CASS LAKE — The six member bands of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe hosted primary elections Tuesday, March 31.

The member bands are Bois Forte, Grand Portage, Fond du Lac, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs and White Earth. The Red Lake Nation is not part of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe due to its unique status as a sovereign tribal entity.

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Minnesota Department of Health

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa

Bois Forte Band members cast ballots for secretary-treasurer and representative for District 2, in the Vermillion area.

David C. Morrison Sr. was the top vote-getter for the Bois Forte secretary-treasurer primary with 147 or 34% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Current Bois Forte Secretary-Treasurer Tara Geshick earned 113, or 26.1% of the vote, and will join Morrison on general election ballots on June 9.

Incumbent Robert Moyer Jr. earned more than 44% of the vote to stay in the race for his seat as the District 2 representative, with 85 ballots cast in his favor. Moyer will return to the ballot in the June election with the next top vote-getter, Alanna K. Sherman, who garnered 33.7% of the vote, or 65 votes.

Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

For the Grand Portage Band, only one candidate, Levi Libra, is challenging incumbent April McCormick for the secretary-treasurer position. Per the MCT election ordinance, this race will be determined without a primary during the general election on June 9.

Unofficial results for the at-large district positions in Grand Portage were not available as of Tuesday.

Member councils of the MCT are expected to canvass the results of the primary on Tuesday, with the reservations' election boards having an April 2 deadline to publish primary election results.

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Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Fond du Lac Band members cast ballots for secretary-treasurer and for District 2 representative in the Sawyer area.

Current Fond du Lac Secretary-Treasurer Wayne Dupuis earned 276 votes, or 46.5% of the vote, according to unofficial results. He will return to the ballot to keep his seat on the Council along with Jarvis "Chubbs" Paro, who earned 40.5% of the vote or 240 votes.

Incumbent District 2 representative Brad Blacketter will not advance to the general election, earning less than 10% of the vote in Tuesday's primary. Mike Murray, earning 41.8% or 81 votes, and Daniel G. LaPrairie, with 20.1% or 39 votes, will move on to the June 9 general election.

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Leech Lake Band members cast ballots for a secretary-treasurer with no incumbent following current secretary-treasurer Lenny Fineday's resignation announcement, as well as for representatives in District 1 in the Ball Club area and District 2 in the Bena area.

According to unofficial results, Cindy Jackson Kingbird earned the most votes for the Leech Lake secretary-treasurer position, at 561 or 34.3% of the vote. The next top vote-getter was Michael Reyes, a former DFL candidate for the Minnesota House, at 400 or 24.5% of the vote. Jackson Kingbird and Reyes will face off in Leech Lake's general election on June 9.

Incumbent Kyle Fairbanks earned the most votes for District 1, with 201 or 48.1% of the vote. The next top vote-getter was Jonathan White, with 176 or 41.9% of the vote. District 1 voters will choose between Fairbanks and White in the general election.

In District 2, incumbent Steve White earned more than 56% of the vote and won reelection. Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, which regulates the elections of its six member bands, states in its election ordinance that a candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in a primary wins the election.

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Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Mille Lacs Band members cast ballots for secretary-treasurer and for representatives on the council for District 2 near McGregor and District 3 east of Hinkley.

Secretary-Treasurer incumbent Sheldon Boyd Sr. earned 61.6% of the votes in the primary, according to unofficial results, and has won his reelection bid per MCT rules.

No incumbents were certified for the primary in Mille Lacs' District 2 or District 3 races. Raina Killspotted earned 81 total votes, 57.9% of the total cast in District 2, and has won the election. On June 9, District 3 voters will choose between Michelle "Shelly" Pomerleau, who earned 32.3% of the votes in Tuesday's primary, and Lionel Richey, who earned 21.2% of the votes.

During the June 9 general election, Mille Lacs Band members will also cast ballots for Nay-Ah-Shing School Board members, according to the Band's writ of election.

White Earth Nation

White Earth Band members cast ballots for a secretary-treasurer and for representatives in District 1, in the Rice Lake area, and in District 2, around Mahnomen.

Jacob McArthur was the top vote-getter in the White Earth secretary-treasurer primary, with 616 or 41.1% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Incumbent Michael "Mike" LaRoque received 474, or 31.6% of the vote, and his name will return to the ballot along with McArthur during the June 9 general election.

Incumbent Henry G. Fox received the most votes in District 1, with 152 or nearly 48% of the vote. Andy "Jack" Auginaush received 131, or 41.3%.

Current District 2 representative Eugene Sommers was not a certified candidate for reelection in the primary. The top two vote-getters in the incumbent-less race were Alrick "Son" Accobee with 270 or 38% of the vote, and Sheri Kay Snetsinger with 127 or nearly 17.9% of the vote.