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Sault Tribe Secretarial Election ballots mailed out

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ secretarial election enters its final month, with ballots scheduled to be mailed to registered voters by Oct. 26 and election results expected Nov. 19.

Tribal citizens will vote “yes” or “no” on proposed constitutional amendments that would establish three separate, co-equal branches of tribal government: legislative, executive and judicial.

The federally administered election is overseen by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and a Secretarial Election Board. Voter registration closed Oct. 19, and only eligible tribal citizens who registered for this election will receive ballots.

Important upcoming election dates include:

• Oct. 23: Final registered voters List to be posted
• Oct. 26: Ballot packets mailed to registered voters
• Nov. 19: Deadline for ballots to be received 3 p.m. EST. Ballot counting begins at 4 p.m.
• Nov. 24: Deadline to submit written challenges to election results by 4:30 p.m. EST.

Registered voters may return completed ballots through the U.S. Postal Service or hand deliver them on Nov. 19 only, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST, at DreamMakers Theater at Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie.

Ballot packets will include instructions for completing and returning ballots. Ballots will be opened and counted beginning at 4 p.m. on Nov. 19 at DreamMakers Theater, with results expected to be posted that evening.

If approved and certified by the Secretary of the Interior, the amended constitution would take effect.

To prepare for a potential transition, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors approved a Constitution Implementation Plan on Sept. 22. The plan establishes an 18-month timeline for updating tribal laws and codes while maintaining government operations, programs and services.

Tribal citizens can find additional information about the secretarial election, voting procedures, important deadlines and the proposed changes to tribal government on the secretarial election landing page.

Read the Proposed Amended Sault Tribe Constitution here.

Details: Category: Child Placement; Published: 05 July 2011

ACFS provides monitoring of child welfare cases throughout the United States involving children either enrolled in or eligible for membership in the tribe to ensure that the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is followed.

The Indian Child Welfare Act is a federal law passed in 1978 that provides special protections for Indian children and families. ICWA applies to any state proceeding in which a child cannot be returned to the custody of the parent upon request. It applies to all proceedings in which a child has been removed from their parents’ care and placed in foster care, termination and adoption proceedings. ICWA gives the tribe the legal right to intervene in all state proceedings involving an Indian child other than parental custody situations. The Sault Tribe Child Welfare Committee (CWC) per Chapter 30 of the Tribal Code is the body that speaks on behalf of the tribe in these matters. ICWA does not apply to Tribal Court proceedings as the premises of ICWA are incorporated into our Tribal Code.

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians monitors all child welfare cases under the jurisdiction of state courts. Through this action, the tribe becomes a legal party to the case and has access to all records regarding the cases. Anishnaabek Community and Family Services has been designated by the tribe to provide monitoring services and the Sault Tribe Child Welfare Committee has been designated by the tribe to make recommendations to the state courts on all cases relative to P.L. 95-608 (Indian Child Welfare Act). All cases are therefore reviewed to ensure compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act (P.L. 95-608).

The Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA) was enacted by the state of Michigan on Jan. 3, 2013. MIFPA strengthens, clarifies and enhances the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) implementation in Michigan courts and state child welfare services. MIFPA codifies the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) into state law and clarifies the court proceedings subject to the Act. MIFPA amended the Juvenile Code by adding section MCL 712B.1 – 712B.41.

For more information about-MIFPA: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(132gmr5iqweyk1zejxov3rsq))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-288-1939-XIIB

For more information about ICWA:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-92/pdf/STATUTE-92-Pg3069.pdf