Election Day is here and voting is underway for both the Osage Nation General Election and the Osage Minerals Council Election.
For the general election the polling place will be held in the Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center, 1449 W. Main St., in Pawhuska. This is the first election year the Election Board decided to move the polling place from the Congressional Chambers on the government campus where previous government elections have been historically held. The minerals council election, however, will be held at the congressional chambers.
Both polling places close at 8 p.m.
For the primary election, the Election Board voted to move the polling place to the cultural center over concerns of potential inclement weather and traffic jams due to the ongoing campus master plan construction. Since then, Election Board Chairwoman Shannon Lockett praised the cultural center venue for having enough room to accommodate the voters and contract company TrueBallot Inc., which will conduct the ballot counting after the poll doors close.
Election Supervisor Alexis Rencountre said the 2014 election year is on its way to being the year her office has received the most requests for absentee ballots in the reformed government’s history. As of April 30, the Osage Nation Election Board said it has received 1,809 absentee ballot request forms. The absentee ballots will be retrieved at the Pawhuska Post Office by the election supervisor at 10 a.m. today and election staff and volunteers will begin the count.
In addition to the candidates for the two Executive Branch offices and six Congressional seats, Osage voters will be asked to vote on six constitutional amendment questions. Also, voters will be asked to vote on retaining two judges in the Judicial Branch.
For the Judicial Branch judges, Supreme Court Chief Justice Meredith Drent and Trial Court Chief Judge Marvin Stepson’s names will appear on the ballot. Associate Supreme Court Justice Jeanine Logan’s name is not listed on the ballot.
ON Trial Court Administrator Jeanna Red Eagle said Logan has decided to retire at the end of her Supreme Court term.
Election Day for the Osage Minerals Council
Despite the changes in the ON election polling place, the Osage Minerals Council election’s polling place will remain at the Congressional Chambers on June 2.
All eight seats on the OMC are up for grabs in the election, which will also take place from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In this year’s OMC election, 17 people, including six incumbents, are running for office.
For further assistance, Osage shareholders may call the OMC election office at (918) 287-5288 or email: MineralsElection@osagenation-nsn.gov
By
Benny Polacca
Original Publish Date: 2014-06-02 00:00:00
