Tribal election now under way

Ballots for the 2018 Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal election were mailed to registered voters recently, and 24 candidates have filed for six open positions on the Tribal Council, Gaming Commission and Ethics Commission.

Liana Onnen, current Tribal Council Chairperson, is seeking her second four-year term.

Completed ballots may be hand delivered to the Mayetta Post Office or mailed to the Mayetta Post Office by Saturday, July 28. The ballots will be counted starting at 9 a.m. that day. 

If a candidate does not win a race by a majority vote, a run-off election will take place four weeks later on Saturday, Aug. 25, it was reported. 

Candidates, who have filed for the election, include:

Tribal Council Chairperson (four-year term): Stephen “Monwah” Ortiz, Liana Onnen (incumbent), Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick and Dorothy Kiyukan. 

Tribal Council Secretary (four-year term): Warren “Junior” Wahweotten,  Anna Wahwassuck Boswell, Michelle Simon and Camilla Wishkeno Chouteau (incumbent).  

Tribal Council Member #1 (four-year term): Chago Hale, Tony Wahweotten, Peggy Nioce Houston, Theresa Jessepe Murray, William “Bill” Evans and Marlena Jessepe Jordan.

Tribal Council Member #3 (term ends in 2020): Jona Potts Rupnicki, Joyce Kitchkommie Guerrero, Tamara Lewis McClammy and Raphael J. Wahwassuck.  

Gaming Commissioner #3 (four-year term): Rey Kitchkumme (incumbent), Chaumin Dee Wahweotten, Raymond Wahweotten, Larry Mzhickteno and Ramzey Ingels.

Ethics Commission Vice-Chairperson (three-year term): Jean Howley “Wayatnekwe”.

Ethics Commission Secretary (four-year term): No one filed for this position. 

Ethics Commissioner #2 (term ends in 2019): No one filed for this position.