Photo caption: The unofficial results of the 2020 Osage Nation General Election on June 1, 2020.
Osage voters re-elected Joe Tillman, RJ Walker and John Maker as Osage Nation Congressmen and selected three new members in the June 1, 2020, General Election.
According to unofficial results, Jodie Revard received the highest vote count at 1,366; Tillman finished second with 1,205 votes; Pam Shaw finished third with 1,019 votes; Walker placed fourth with 1,013 votes; Billy Keene placed fifth with 991 votes and Maker finished sixth with 877 votes.
All six Osages will join the six other incumbents to serve on the Seventh ON Congress when they take their oaths on Inauguration Day scheduled July 11 at the Tulsa Osage Casino Hotel.
Voters also passed a Constitutional amendment question (ONCR 18-20) which places limits of five office terms on Osage officials who are elected, appointed and retained by election in all three branches.
A separate Constitutional amendment question (ONCR 19-07) asking voters whether the Principal Chief and Assistant Principal Chief should run for office on a combined ticket failed.
Election results are unofficial until the Wahzhazhe Elections Board votes to certify them at a later date.
Election Supervisor Alexis Rencountre announced the unofficial results shortly after the Election Day workers and board members arrived at the Osage Minerals Council Chambers at approximately 11:15 p.m., which is more than three hours after the polling place closed at the ON Civic Center.
Afterward, the waiting crowd of candidates, their families and fellow community members applauded the results and extended well-wishes and congratulatory comments to each other as Rencountre attached printed copies of the results to the Chambers Building front windows.
According to the unofficial results, a total of 2,449 Osages voted in the 2020 General Election.
Rencountre said 537 Osages voted in-person June 1 on Election Day. During May 29-30 early voting days, a total of 143 voted. Minus in-person voters, the remainder of marked ballots came from 1,769 absentee voters.
The 2,449 voters total for 2020 is only four shy of the 2,445 total ballots cast in the 2018 General Election. According to the 2016 General Election results, a total of 1,990 Osages voted that year.
Unofficial 2020 General Election Results and the number of votes received are:
Osage Nation Congress
1) Jodie Revard – 1,366
2) Joe Tillman (incumbent) – 1,205
3) Pam Shaw – 1,019
4) RJ Walker (i) – 1,013
5) Billy Keene – 991
6) John Maker (i) – 877
7) Maria Whitehorn (i) – 855
8) Michael Kidder – 782
9) Amanda Proctor – 754
10) Mary Jo Pratt – 741
11) Michael Bristow – 737
12) Jim Trumbly – 737
13) Shannon Edwards (i) – 718
14) Melissa Dailey – 599
15) Colt Herren – 596
Osage Constitutional Amendment Questions
Constitutional amendment questions require 65% of the “yes” vote in order to pass, according to the 2006 Osage Constitution.
– ONCR 18-20: Shall the Constitution of the Osage Nation be amended to limit the elected officials and officials appointed, confirmed and retained by election to five terms of office?
Yes – 1,846 (75.38%)
No – 544 (22.21%)
Undervoted – 2.41%
Prior to the election, those who hold offices in the ON Executive Branch (Principal Chief and Assistant Principal Chief) and Congress each have four-year terms with no term limits. For the Judicial Branch, the Principal Chief initially appoints the three Supreme Court Justices and Chief Judge for the ON Trial Court and each judge serves an initial four-year term – following a Congressional confirmation vote – and is subject to retention by Osage voters to serve another four-year term with no term limits.
– ONCR 19-07: Shall Article VII, Section 3 of the Constitution of the Osage Nation be amended to add language requiring candidates for Principal Chief to run for office with a candidate for Assistant Principal Chief on a combined ticket?
Yes – 1,407 (57.45%)
No – 981 (40.06%)
Undervoted – 2.49%
By
Benny Polacca
Original Publish Date: 2020-06-02 00:00:00
