S moke S ignals
SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
7
Turnout improved to 32.5 percent
ELECTION continued
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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