Tribal election season will soon be underway as Citizen Potawatomi Nation voters prepare to elect candidates for four legislative seats and Tribal Chairman. Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 are all up for election this year. Election Day is June 26, 2021.
Candidates must be 18 years old prior to Election Day.
To run for Tribal Chairman, candidates must reside in Oklahoma six months prior to the filing deadline.
Legislative Districts 1-4 are located outside Oklahoma. Candidates must reside in their district for at least six months prior to filing deadline.
Declarations of candidacy must be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service and in the CPN Election Committee’s hands no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. Request filing forms via email at elections@potawatomi.org or by calling 405-275-3121 and requesting the CPN Election Committee.
Applications will be available on Dec. 1, 2020.
Current incumbents are:
- Tribal Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett
- District 1 – Open
- District 2 – Eva Marie Carney
- District 3 – Robert Whistler
- District 4 – Jon Boursaw
Tribal members will also vote on the budget that manages the Nation’s trust earnings. No principal from the fund is spent, but the budget pays for national service projects and the executive branch of the Tribe.
CPN members who are at least 18 years old on Election Day will be eligible to vote. All eligible Tribal citizens around the country can cast ballots for Tribal Chairman and the Tribal budget. In addition to those two elections, citizens of Districts 1-4 can vote only for the specific legislative district in which they reside.