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Blood quantum: Membership will decide on enrollment changes
Continued from front page
has asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to call for a vote of the Tribal mem
bership to amend the Tribe's Constitution. This process is permitted under
Article II, Section 1(e) of the Tribal Constitution and federal law.
Article V, Section 1 of the Constitution currently reads as follows:
Requirements. The membership of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde Community of Oregon shall consist of all persons who are not en
rolled as members of another recognized tribe, band or community and,
(a) ab whose names validly appear on the official tribal membership roll
prepared under the Grand Ronde Restoration Act; provided, that
such roll may be corrected by the Tribal Council with the approval of
the Secretary of the Interior; or
(b) ab who possess one-sixteenth (116) or more degree Indian blood quan
tum of a federally recognized tribe or tribes, are descended from a
member of the Confederated Tribes" of the Grand Ronde Community
of Oregon, have filed an application for enrollment according to pro
cedures established pursuant to Section 3 of this Article, and have
been accepted as members in accordance with the tribal ordinance
adopted under Section 3 of this Article.
For purposes of this section, descent from a member of the Confederated
Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon shall include lineal de
scent from any person who was named on any roll or records of Grand
Ronde members prepared by the Department of the Interior prior to the
effective date of this Constitution.
If passed, Article V, Section 1 of the Constitution would read as
follows: (Bold type indicates sections that will be changed if vote
passes.)
Requirements,. The membership of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde Community of Oregon shall consist of all persons who are not en
rolled as members of another recognized tribe, band or community and,
who for one year have fully and unconditionally relinquished membership
in another Indian Tribe and;
(a) ab whose names validly appear on the official tribal membership roll
prepared under the Grand Ronde Restoration Act; provided, that
such roll may be corrected by the Tribal Council with the approval of
the Secretary of the Interior; or
(b) ab whose names validly appear on the official tribal member
ship roll as of the effective date of the amendment; provided
that such roll may be corrected by the Tribal Council in ac
cordance with the tribal enrollment ordinance; or
(c) ab who possess at least one-sixteenth (116) degree Grand Ronde blood
quantum and were born to a parent who was a member of
the Tribe at the time of the applicant's birth and who, unless
deceased, is a member of the Grand Ronde Tribe at the time
the applicant files an application for enrollment; have filed
an application for enrollment according to procedures es
tablished pursuant to Section 3 of this Article, and have been
accepted as members in accordance with the tribal ordinance
adopted under Section 3 of this Article.
For purposes of this section, Grand Ronde blood is defined as all Indian
blood derived from a direct ancestor whose name validly appears
on the official tribal membership roll prepared under the Grand
Ronde Restoration Act; provided, that such roll may be corrected
by the Tribal Council with the approval of the Secretary of the
Interior.
This special BIA election is overseen by the BIA's Siletz Agency. Generally,
the amendment approval process is as follows:
1. The Tribal Council selects two individuals to serve on a special election
board;
2. The Siletz Agency meets with the Special Election Board to review the
election process and select a date for the election;
3. The Agency and Special Election Board prepare a voters pamphlet ex
plaining the amendment to be voted on;
4. The voters pamphlet is sent to qualified voters along with a registration
form to be completed to be eligible to vote in this special BIA election;
5. Members wishing to vote must then return completed registration forms
to the Agency;
6 . A list of voters registered for the special BIA election is then posted in 3
to 4 conspicuous places for 20 days;
7. The Tribe will determine whether this special BIA election will have
voters vote at designated polling places at tribal offices and by absentee
mail-in ballots (as done with Tribal Council elections) or by having a
mail-in ballot only election (where every voter votes by mail);
8. Ballots are then sent to all BIA registered voters;
9. Ballots are counted by the Special Election Board; ,
10. Election results are posted just like the list of registered voters for a
period of 3 days;
11. Challenges to the posted election results are made to the Agency;
12. If not successfully challenged, the election results are forwarded to the
BIA and the BIA must approve or disapprove of the amendment within
45 days; and
13: The constitutional amendment is effective on the day approved by the
BIA.
To pass, at least 30 of BIA registered voters must vote in the election and
of those voting at least 23 must vote to approve the change.
It is very important to note that this is a special BIA election on
the constitutional amendment only and is not part of any other
Tribal election. Even though you may be registered to vote in
Tribal elections you must still register separately to vote in this
special BIA election.
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
FOR CHILDREN 0-8 YEARS OF AGE
(formerly the Easter Egg Hunt)
Saturday, April 3
Grand Ronde Community Center
9:00 a.m Registration & photo with the Easter Bunny
($2.50 per photo)
9:30 a.m Light Breakfast
10:30 a.m. ... Bunny Puppet Play and activities
11:00 a.m Closing and surprises from the
Easter Bunny
Sponsored by the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde Tribal Wellness Program
For more information, please call:
Pearl at 879-2049 or Vernon at 879-2027.
r
WiUamina'a Second Annual
6aoter onnot frPot Parade
Saturday April 3 a) noon Main Street in WiUamina
Line up at 11 a.m. at the High School. No registration needed. Non-motorized entries only.
Categories forjirizes;
1. Best Easter Bonnet. Decorate your Easter Bonnet,
All ages welcome.
2. Best Dressed Pet. All animals must be on a leash
for safety.
3. Judges Favorite. Best costume, wagon, bicycle
or etc.
Caoter 6gg Hunt
Saturday April 3 at 10 a.m.
VJrtS Football Field
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