Eighteen candidates on ballot for Tribal Council primary

Kristi Niemeyer, Lake County Leader, Polson, Mont.
·2 min read

Oct. 13—CSKT tribal members will vote Oct. 14 for primary candidates for an at-large seat and four district seats on the Tribal Council. The top two vote-getters for each district and the at-large seat will run against each other in the general election Dec. 16.

Candidates include:

At-large: Incumbents James "Bing" Matt and Ellie Bundy, Sam Barnaby, Jonny Burland, Lois Friedlander and Art L. Caye

Dixon: Danielle Matt (incumbent Terry Pitts did not file for reelection)

Hot Springs: Incumbent Michael Dolson, Jerry Nicolai, Becky "Bink" O'Bennick Knapp and Dan Depoe

Pablo: Incumbent Martin Charlo, Constance Morigeau, Levi (Jerry) Hewankorn and Craig Pablo

St. Ignatius: James Steel Jr., Jera Stewart and Ronald Trahan.

The five Tribal Council members whose positions are not up for election in this cycle are Chairman Tom McDonald, Vice Chair Len Twoteeth, Carole Lankford, Jennifer Finley, and Jim Malatare.

Of the 10 council representatives, each is elected for a four-year term in a staggered election; every two years five seats are up for election. Since the 1980s, tribal members have been allowed to vote reservation-wide for representatives — not just for candidates in the districts where they reside.

In 2021, the Tribal Council established two at-large seats by reducing the number of representatives in the Arlee and Mission districts from two to one apiece.

A story in the Char-Koosta News in April 2021 noted that the Reapportionment Ordinance creating the new at-large districts reflected population shifts on the reservation. It was also designed "to allow for greater participation in the election process and for greater diversity in representation."

In order to qualify for an at-large seat, candidates must be a CSKT member who has resided on the reservation for at least one year prior to filing and must continue to reside on the reservation for the entirety of their term.

The Flathead Reservation's eight districts are Jocko Valley (Arlee), Mission, Ronan, Pablo, Polson, Elmo — Dayton, Hot Springs — Camas Prairie, and Dixon.

Polls are open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 14 at the following locations: Arlee Indian Senior Center, Anita Matt Building in Dixon, Hot Spring Indian Senior Center, Vern L. Clairmont Building in the Tribal Complex in Pablo, St. Ignatius Indian Senior Center, Elmo Hall, Polson Indian Senior Center and Ronan Indian Senior Center.

Visit www.charkoosta.com for candidate profiles.