Native American Press/Ojibwe News

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe candidates for April 16th primary election

By Clara NiiSka - March 8, 2002
The following is a listing of the 108 certified candidates for tribal council and representative seats up for election this year in the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe bands – Bois Forte, Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and White Earth. There were 83 certified candidates in the MCT primary two years ago, on April 18, 2000.

All positions on the MCT reservation councils are four-year terms, with elections staggered every two years. This year, elections will be held for each reservation’s Secretary/Treasurer, and for half of the representatives’ positions. The two candidates receiving the most votes for each seat in the April 16th primary election will advance to the June 11, 2002 regular election.

Filing dates for the MCT elections ran from 8:00 a.m. February 21, 2002 through 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 4, 2002. After filing has been completed, the council for each reservation must certify the candidates running for office on that reservation.

The tribal council at Red Lake reservation operates separately from the MCT. An election will be held on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 to elect three officers and six district representatives to the Red Lake tribal council and to vote on any referenda submitted by the Red Lake tribal council. Filing for the Red Lake elections opened on February 28th, and will close at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 15th. If no candidate for any Red Lake office wins by a majority of votes in the May 15th elections, run-off elections will be held on that reservation.

Leech Lake Band: Fourteen candidates were certified for the Leech Lake tribal council Secretary/Treasurer position by the tribal council at a special meeting on March 6. Current incumbent, Linda Johnston, will not seek re-election. Certified candidates are (in order listed by Leech Lake tribal council): Walter “Frank” Reese, Jennie (Wind) Reyes, Fred K. Jackson Jr., Arthur “Archie” LaRose, Bob Whipple, Birdena M. Cloud-Lyons, Sally Fineday Morrison, Clayton Alex Rainey Jr., Richard Schulman, Victoria F. White, Diane E. White, Dennis Banks, Wil Humphrey, and Donna L. Day.

All those who filed for District I and District II representatives were certified by the Leech Lake tribal council. Candidates for District I representative are: Burton “Luke” Wilson (incumbent), Peter D. White, Ralph W. Schaaf, Alfred Fairbanks Jr., and Calvin W. Goggleye. Running for District II representative are: Lyman “DeDe” Losh (incumbent), Terrance “Chopper” White, Don Wayne Smith, Cara Dahl, Patricia Moose, and Jack H. Seelye.

Bois Forte: The Bois Forte reservation council certified the nine people to run as candidates for positions on the Bois Forte reservation tribal council at a special meeting on March 6, 2002. Candidates for Secretary/Treasurer are: David C. Morrison Sr. (incumbent), Mark E. Drift Sr., and Barry Day. Running for District I representative are: Gordon Adams Jr. (incumbent), Mildred R. Holmes, and Dawn M. Benner. Candidates for District II representative are: Phyllis M. Boshey (incumbent), Kevin Albert Strong, and William B. Tibbetts, II.

Fond du Lac: The candidates have been certified to run for Secretary/Treasurer at Fond du Lac are: Robert Martineau, John DuFee, Carol Abramouski-Jurek, Lauren Shortley, Bryon Jon Maciewski, Ferdonand Martineau, Sandi Savage, Kevin Dupuis, and Harvey Defoe. Six candidates were reportedly certified for District II (Sawyer) representative; their names were not yet available at press time.

Grand Portage: There is a four-way race for Secretary/Treasurer at Grand Portage, among certified candidates: Gilbert Caribou, Duane “Butch” Deschampe, Dean F. Deschampe, and Donna Anderson.

The six candidates for Committeeman I are: Wally “Gator” Deschampe, Gary Paro, James Corcoran, Donald Olson, Lorraine Wipson, and Roger James. The seven candidates for Committeeman II are: Sam Vogel, William G. Myers, Darlene LeGarde, John Morrin, June K. Evans, John Olson, and Allan Deschampe.

Mille Lacs: Six candidates are in the running for Mille Lacs Secretary/Treasurer: Herb Weyaus, Bah-wah-sung, Pete Gahbow, Doug Sam, Sheldon Boyd, and Tracey Sam.
Candidates for District II representative are: Marvin Brunear and David Aubid. District III representative candidates are: Harry Davis and Diane Gibbs.

White Earth: There were fourteen candidates certified by the White Earth Election Board for the office of Secretary/Treasurer, one of whom has withdrawn. The remaining Secretary/Treasurer candidates, in order of registration, are: Erma J. Vizenor, Ralph “Bucky” Goodman, Gordon L. Boswell, John Stone, Franklin “Bud” Heisler, Bill “Beeker” Hanks, Leonard Roy, Albert L. Brunner (Spunky), Sally Lu Littlewolf, John B. Buckanaga, Ken Brown, Michael G. Weaver, and Harvey Sullivan Bonga. Douglas “Mickey” Hodges withdrew.

There are two candidates for District I representative at White Earth: Irene Auginaush and Steven “Punky” Clark. The ten certified candidates for District II representative are: Terrance Burnette, Muriel A. Alvarez, Margaret “Marge” Rogers, Kelly Bunker, Patleen (Patty) Straub, Tony Wadena, Darrell “Boone” Wadena, Terrance D. Tibbetts, Marvin “Moss” Tibbetts, and Steven “Shuff” Bellanger.

Darrell “Chip” Wadena and Rick Clark were not certified.