All six candidates seeking Osage Nation office in the April 4 Primary Election plan to have Election Day campsites at the government campus park to meet and greet voters.
On Jan. 31, the Wahzhazhe Elections Office staff and board members held a drawing for Election Day campsite locations at the outdoor park.
Principal Chief candidates Geoffrey Standing Bear and Joe Tillman were in attendance while Angela Pratt attended virtually. Assistant Principal Chief candidates Joseph Thornton, Thomas Trumbly and RJ Walker all attended as well.

Gathered underneath the largest of three permanent arbors at the park, Election Supervisor Alexis Rencountre told the candidates that all six candidates submitted applications for the campsites and there are 29 total campsite locations available at the park. In past elections, the three marked campsites with arbors are typically the first ones picked, with the largest arbor next to the parking lot picked first.
Rencountre held up six pieces of paper with the candidates’ names printed on them and folded each piece similarly and placed them into a clear plastic hopper for the drawing.
Rencountre announced Pratt’s name as the first drawn. Pratt, who could not attend due to family illness at the time, appeared by FaceTime on Walker’s cell phone to view and pick from the camp locations. She picked the large main arbor for her campsite.
Afterward, Rencountre drew Walker and Standing Bear’s names to pick campsites. Walker chose the south arbor location and Standing Bear drew the north arbor location.
Trumbly, Thornton and Tillman all picked uncovered campsite locations next to the large arbor. Tillman and Thornton will be to the south of Pratt and Trumbly will be north of her campsite.
Rencountre reminded the candidates of campsite rules, including: Open campsite dimensions are 20 feet by 20 feet; refer to a provided list of what is allowed/ not allowed on campus property; size dimensions of a tent (if candidates choose to set one up at their campsite); and specified set-up and teardown times before and after Election Day.
Another campsite drawing will be held later for the June 6 General Election candidates, which will include the certified Congressional candidates and those running for eight available seats on the Osage Minerals Council. A separate Minerals Council election will also be held June 6 with only shareholders voting in that respective election.
