Due to funding issues, the schedule for the secretarial election planned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs had to be changed. Formerly, election day for the upcoming secretarial election was March 16. Now, because of the hold up, election day will take place March 30. Here is the rest of the revised schedule:

Jan. 29: Voter registration packets mailed.
Feb. 22: 4:30 p.m.: Voter registration deadline
March 1: Voter registration list posted.
March 19: Last day to challenge the names, or absence of names, on registered voters list.
March 19: Decide challenges to voter registration list and post corrected registered voters list (if necessary).
March 30: Ballots counted.
April 2: Last day to challenge election results.

Contact the Sault Ste. Marie BIA office with any questions: (906) 632-6809 or 877-659-5028.

To obtain a copy of the Notice of Secretarial Election. Click on the link below and then click on SAVE when prompted.

 Notice of Secretarial Election

Dear Tribal Member,

This is to inform you that a tribal general election will be held for the Tribal Board of Directors this spring/summer. This letter is your notice of the election. Please read it carefully.

The timetable for the election process is as follows: (All deadlines are 5:00 p.m. ET on the date stated).

March 26, 2010: Deadline for return of voter registration forms. Letter of Intent due for potential candidates. Roll of registered voters prepared and posted and nomination petitions available.

April 2, 2010: Deadline for background checks for potential candidates.

April 15, 2010: Nominating petition deadline.

April 22, 2010: List of eligible candidates available.

April 26, 2010: Deadline for contests relating to nominations and voter registration.

April 29, 2010: Blank primary ballots mailed to voters.

May 20, 2010: Primary election date.

May 24, 2010: Deadline for contests relating to vote count.

June 3, 2010: Blank ballots for general election mailed to voters.

June 24, 2010: General Election day.

June 28, 2010: Deadline for contest relating to vote count.

Officers’ installation - to be announced

OFFICERS TO BE ELECTED
The officers to be elected are members of the Board of Directors:
Unit 1-2 members
Unit 2-1 member
Unit 3-1 member
Unit 4-1 member
Unit 5-1 member

The term of all officers will be four years. Additionally, elections for Board members from Unit 1, 2, 3, & 4, as well as the Chairperson will be held in 2012.

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
The election will be conducted by mail. This Notice of Election was mailed to the address shown in the Tribal Registrar's records. Addresses for members shown in the Registrar's records will be used for all election purposes. It is the responsibility of the tribal member to ensure that the address shown for him or her is correct. Please contact the Tribal Registrar’s Office for any changes: Tribal Registrar's Office, 2428 Shunk Road, Mailing address: P.O. Box 1628, Sault Ste. Marie, MI  49783 phone: (906) 635-3396 or 1-800-251-6597. Unless an address correction is made, the ballot will be mailed to the Registered Voter at the same address to which this Notice of Election was sent and no ballot will be sent to a voter whose Notice of Election is returned by the United States Post Office as undeliverable.

REMINDER TO REGISTER
This is a reminder that all members who have turned 18 and/or have moved out of an election unit and were not previously registered must register to vote. Registration forms must be filled out completely.
 
VOTER REGISTRATION
DEADLINE – MARCH 26, 2010
Tribal members who will be 18 years of age or older on the date of the election (June 24, 2010) are eligible to vote. Under the current Tribal Election Code, all Resident Members in an election unit shall automatically be registered and Non-resident Members must choose one of the five election units in order to vote in Tribal Elections. Registration is permanent unless you move in/out of an election unit. Registration forms must be received by the Tribal Election Committee, ninety (90) days prior to the general election, in order to vote in the upcoming elections.

Voter registration is open and tribal members who need to register (all previously registered members are considered permanently registered) can contact the Tribal Election Committee at the address given below or call the Executive Assistant at (906) 635-6050 or 1-800-793-0660 or the Tribal Registrar's Office. In order to register, you must complete and return a voter registration form to the: Tribal Election Committee, P.O. Box 102, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783, before 5:00 p.m. on March 26, 2010. Registration forms received after that time or not completed will be deemed unregistered for this election.

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES
DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS – APRIL 15, 2010
Any tribal member who meets the requirements detailed in Section 10.110 is eligible for election to office.  A candidate for nomination must be eighteen years of age or older by June 24, 2010, a qualified voter, and have established one year residency within the Election Unit which they seek to represent. Any member; who holds appointed/elected position in another unit of government, has been convicted of election fraud, misdemeanors involving gambling, theft, dishonesty or fraud, or a felony offense is ineligible for election to office. Any person elected shall voluntarily resign employment position and/or surrender any rights under any contract with the Tribe prior to assuming office. To be nominated, a candidate must file a nominating petition with the Tribal Election Committee by 5:00 p.m., April 15, 2010. A nomination petition must bear the original signatures of the proper number of registered voters from the unit to be represented. A voter may sign only as many petitions as there are offices to be filled from their unit. Petitions must be submitted on the forms provided by the Election Committee obtained at the designated offices.

VOTING PROCEDURE
DEADLINE FOR RETURN OF BALLOTS
Primary ballots will be mailed to registered voters by first class mail by April 29, 2010. In order to be counted, ballots must be received by the Tribal Election Committee by 5:00 p.m. at the United States Post Office-Sault Ste. Marie location on May 20, 2010. Blank general election ballots will be mailed to registered voters by first class mail by June 3, 2010. In order to be counted, ballots must be received by the Tribal Election Committee by the closing of the United States Post Office- Sault Ste. Marie location on June 24, 2010. A Post Office Box is provided by the United States Post Office for return of the ballots. The address of the box will be included on the ballot. The deadline for filing contests relating to the tabulation of the primary ballots is May 24, 2010 and the deadline for filing contest relating to the tabulation of the general election is June 28, 2010.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING
The Election Committee requires candidates and others who expend money on the election to file reports on campaign fundraising and spending. If you plan to spend money on the election, you must contact the Election Committee to obtain the proper forms before doing so. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in criminal prosecution.

ELECTION CONTESTS & COMPLAINTS
Any tribal member may raise election disputes before the Election Committee. All disputes must be stated in writing, addressed to the Chairperson of the Election Committee, contain the original signature and received under procedures provided in the Election Ordinance. The Election Committee will review disputes according to the Election Ordinance. Specific procedures will be available upon request.
 
ELECTION ORDINANCE
This letter is a narrative statement of the requirements of the Election Ordinance and the Constitution. The Ordinance and Constitution are controlling, and may be examined at any tribal office. Questions regarding the election should be directed to the Tribal Election Committee.

DESIGNATED OFFICES
Designated Offices are the tribal offices as to which additional election material is available and for delivery of correspondence. Each designated office is defined in the Election Ordinance, with exception to Unit 1.  The Tribal Court’s Office, located at the George Nolan Judicial Building, shall be Unit 1’s Designated Office.  The names of each Designated Representative will be posted at each site.

Michael McKerchie,
Election Committee Chairman

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - A regular meeting of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors will be held Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at Kewadin Casinos and Convention Center in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be preceded by “Matters Raised by the Membership” from 5 to 6 p.m.

Resolutions to be considered are: Health Center Compensation, Remote Community Alert Systems Program, 2010 Office of Indian Education Demonstration Grant, Approving the Long-Range Tribal Transportation Plan, IRR Inventory Revisions/Additions, Government Relations/Legal Special Projects Budget Modification, Gas Station - Contracting and Random Drug Testing.

Under new business, the board will consider Special Needs/Enrollment Committee, Committee Resignations and Appointments and Key Employee.

For more information, call Joanne or Tara at (906) 635-6050 or (800) 793-0660, ext. 26337 or 26338.

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - A regular meeting of the Sault Tribe Board of Directors will be held Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Kewadin Casinos and Convention Center in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be preceded by “Matters Raised by the Membership” from 5 to 6 p.m.

Resolutions to be considered are: two partial waivers; Honoring Nations Grant, FY 2010 Historic Preservation Grant; Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Assistance Program; Court Training and Improvements Program; Legal Assistance for Victims Grants Program; ACFS Victims Services Budget Modification; Youth Education and Activities Budget Modification; Sawyer Village Maintenance Budget Modification; Tribal Transit Planning Grant Budget Modification; Amendment to Tribal Code Chapter 42; Right of Way Moore’s Access Road; IRMP Planning Process Grant; and Gas Stations Contracting to Share Costs.

Under new business, the board will consider committee resignations and appointments.

For more information, call Joanne or Tara at (906) 635-6050 or (800) 793-0660, ext. 26337 or 26338.