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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2016)
S moke S ignals SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 7 Turnout improved to 32.5 percent ELECTION continued from front page received 557 votes to gain her second consecutive three-year term on Tribal Council, edging out fourth-place finisher Lisa Leno by three votes. It marked the second straight year with a close finish as Tribal Council member Jon A. George retained his seat in 2015 by a two-vote margin. Fifth-place finisher Penny DeLoe was not far behind, receiving 548 votes. Other candidates included Michael Langley, 434 votes; Jack- ie Many Hides, 312 votes; Monty Herron, 136 votes; and Jason Dar- cy-Chantel, 57 votes. Incumbent Tribal Council mem- ber Ed Pearsall did not seek re-elec- tion. Turnout improved with 32.5 percent of eligible members voting: 1,309 ballots were cast out of a pos- sible 4,030 voters. In 2015, turnout dipped below 30 percent. Election Board Chair Deanna Johnston said this year marked the largest number of voters coming in to vote in person with 161, a 51-per- son increase over 2015. Election Day registrations also totaled 27. George was all smiles on Sunday, Sept. 11, as she received congratulations from nu- merous Tribal members before the General Council meeting held in the Community Center. She said her vote total indicates that the membership is looking for change. “I think they want somebody to address some of these long-stand- ing problems we’ve had. I think they want folks who are talking about moving forward in a positive way, trying to move beyond conflict and have a new positive vision for our Tribe,” she said. George said that she experienced a combination of happiness, grati- Photos by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Elder Raymond Petite, left, congratulates newly re-elected Tribal Council member Jack Giffen Jr. during the General Council meeting held in the Tribal Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 11. Giffen has been serving as Tribal Council vice chair. Newly re-elected Tribal Council member Denise Harvey smiles as results from the Saturday, Sept. 10, Tribal Council election are read during the General Council meeting held in the Tribal Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 11. Harvey came in third with 557 votes to be re-elected to her second term. tude and relief on Saturday evening after she saw the election results. “It was a long, challenging cam- paign season,” George said. “It was my first run, so I had so much to learn about campaigning. I was so happy that I had Tribal members who have never before been in- volved in politics come to me and say, ‘How can I help?’ ” During her first three years, George said she wants to increase Tribal Council transparency and ac- countability, revitalize the Tribe’s economic development efforts and revisit the Tribe’s Strategic Plan, which has expired. Mercier said that George proba- bly benefitted from her high-profile position as director of Spirit Moun- tain Community Fund. He recalled that Angie Blackwell received 604 votes in 2004 when she ran for Trib- al Council and also was in charge of the Tribe’s philanthropic entity. “I think coming out of a high-pro- file position like that definitely doesn’t hurt,” Mercier said. “I just think she worked hard. She let people know about her campaign months beforehand. She was get- ting out there and putting it out there. I think it showed in the votes. … It’s an encouraging time, I think.” George becomes the 46th Tribal member to serve on Tribal Council since 1983’s Restoration. Giffen said this will be his final three-year term on Tribal Council. He said he had mixed feelings about the results since he ran on a slate with Leno and DeLoe. “I thought the membership stepped up and supported me and all of the rest of the candidates,” Giffen said before the General Council meeting. “I think the mem- bership is starting to get a little bit more involved and that’s good.” Giffen said during his final term that he would like to see an un- bundled constitutional amendment election regarding the parent on the roll enrollment requirement, as well as continue working on regaining more Tribal hunting and fishing rights. “This is going to be my last rodeo,” Giffen added. “It’s a tough process for all candidates.” Harvey said that her first term on Tribal Council was eventful – disenrollment proceedings, the Cowlitz casino threat and a contro- versial constitutional amendment election – and she knew that she had probably gained and lost some votes along the way. “I think people are looking for a new direction,” Harvey said about the closeness of Tribal Council races over the last two years. “We have a lot of things coming up with the Cowlitz situation and other things, so I think people are looking for who is going to be best at the table with the most amount of experience to get us through these troubled times.” Harvey said she would like to work on peace and unity among the Tribe during her next three years, as well as concentrate on the Tribe’s economic situation. “I think we need to be very stra- tegic in our handling of that,” she said. “We have to think things through really well.” Giffen, Harvey and George were scheduled to be sworn into office on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Hunting & Fishing Lifeways of the Grand Ronde People Who: All Grand Ronde Tribal members. What: We would like to record your family’s hunting and fishing stories for inclusion in the Tribe’s cultural and historical collections. Where: Chachalu: Tribal Museum and Cultural Center When: Starting September 1st, 2015 How: Contact Stacey Runningbird @ 503-879-2381 Ad created by George Valdez