PINE RIDGE, S.D. ñ The Oglala Sioux Tribe voters have spoken. The vote count from the primary election is in and, pending the results of the challenge vote count, Cecelia Fire Thunder may not be on the ballot in November.
Alex White Plume, the former vice president who assumed the presidentís chair after Fire Thunderís impeachment in August, gathered the most votes out of a field of 12 candidates for president with 523, according to the unofficial primary results.
Former President John ìYellow Birdî Steele brought in 462 votes and Fire Thunder came in third with 460. Former President Harold Salway received 416 to round out the list of the top four.
The count of challenge votes is under way and the unofficial numbers could change drastically before the official results are released, according to the election board. And there are quite a few challenges.
Tribal council incumbents faired very well by passing the first step toward re-election in November. Only five incumbent candidates did not receive enough votes to move to the next level. Two incumbents from a district that has only two council members did not receive enough votes, pending a count of the challenge votes.
Wakpamni District will have two newly elected council members. Neither incumbent received enough votes to move on, yet out of the four who will vie for the two positions two have previously served on the council.
For vice president, William Brewer, who garnered 895 votes, will face off with Wayne Weston, with 614 primary votes.
Current Chief Judge Lisa Adams, who reinstated Fire Thunder on one day and rescinded the order that reinstated her the next, was the lowest vote-getter out of three for the position of chief judge. The only position that will not move on to the general election is the chief judge position. The new judge will be Joe American Horse, who received 1,181 votes in a clear majority.
Will Peters, who led the challenge to Fire Thunderís presidency and made the motion to finally remove her, finished No. 6 in the vote count for president. Eileen Janis, who was appointed to the vice presidentís position after White Plume moved into the presidentís chair, finished fifth.
The Oglala Sioux tribal general elections will be held Nov. 7.
PINE RIDGE, S.D. ñ The Oglala Sioux Tribe voters have spoken. The vote count from the primary election is in and, pending the results of the challenge vote count, Cecelia Fire Thunder may not be on the ballot in November.Alex White Plume, the former vice president who assumed the presidentís chair after Fire Thunderís impeachment in August, gathered the most votes out of a field of 12 candidates for president with 523, according to the unofficial primary results. Former President John ìYellow Birdî Steele brought in 462 votes and Fire Thunder came in third with 460. Former President Harold Salway received 416 to round out the list of the top four.The count of challenge votes is under way and the unofficial numbers could change drastically before the official results are released, according to the election board. And there are quite a few challenges. Tribal council incumbents faired very well by passing the first step toward re-election in November. Only five incumbent candidates did not receive enough votes to move to the next level. Two incumbents from a district that has only two council members did not receive enough votes, pending a count of the challenge votes.Wakpamni District will have two newly elected council members. Neither incumbent received enough votes to move on, yet out of the four who will vie for the two positions two have previously served on the council.For vice president, William Brewer, who garnered 895 votes, will face off with Wayne Weston, with 614 primary votes.Current Chief Judge Lisa Adams, who reinstated Fire Thunder on one day and rescinded the order that reinstated her the next, was the lowest vote-getter out of three for the position of chief judge. The only position that will not move on to the general election is the chief judge position. The new judge will be Joe American Horse, who received 1,181 votes in a clear majority.Will Peters, who led the challenge to Fire Thunderís presidency and made the motion to finally remove her, finished No. 6 in the vote count for president. Eileen Janis, who was appointed to the vice presidentís position after White Plume moved into the presidentís chair, finished fifth. The Oglala Sioux tribal general elections will be held Nov. 7.
