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Reminder: the Secretarial Election is a federal election

While the Sault Tribe’s upcoming secretarial election affects the way the tribe is governed, it is important that tribal citizens note this is a federally administered election conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

These special elections are led by a secretarial election board with a BIA-appointed chairman. Sault Tribe citizens are asked to direct questions regarding the election to Secretarial Election Chairman Nicholas VanAlstine. Mr. VanAlstine may be reached at 906‑632‑6809.

With tabulation night and the deadline to submit ballots set for Nov. 19, the Sault Tribe encourages all registered voters to return their ballots ASAP to ensure their vote counts. For more information on the secretarial election, including the proposed amended constitution as well as the current Sault Tribe constitution, please visit https://saulttribe.com/government/secretarial-election.

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: Home; Published: 20 May 2026

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians reaffirms its support for restoring a safe and productive learning environment for the pupils of Lake Superior Academy during the Montessori’s ongoing litigation with a neighboring Bitcoin mining operation.

Nearly 100 students at Lake Superior Academy (LSA), many of whom are tribal members, learn in a hands-on learning environment that draws on their connection to nature. The Dafter Township school features an Outdoor Classroom where students in grades PreK-5 learn, grow, and explore in a natural setting.

In early 2025, a Bitcoin mining operation owned by the Odessa Partners moved onto the corner of the South Mackinac Trail and M-28 adjacent to LSA. The cryptocurrency mining takes place outdoors in six large metal pods that house massive computers calculating complex equations around the clock to unlock Bitcoins. One byproduct of the operation’s high energy consumption is a loud persistent buzzing noise that has disrupted LSA’s education methods, limiting students’ outdoor learning opportunities due to safety concerns.

“Rural areas across Indian Country are facing new challenges as Bitcoin mining facilities expand their operations,” Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes said. “The ongoing situation with Lake Superior Academy has already negatively impacted our community’s youth by disrupting the way the school functions. As a tribe, we owe it to our children to show our support for Lake Superior Academy.”

Over the years, the Upper Peninsula has become a hotspot for Bitcoin mining due to scarcely populated areas, lower-than-average energy costs, and easy access to water, which is needed to cool the computers.

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors encourages tribal members to show support for LSA by contacting the school to see how they can help. The tribe stands proudly behind LSA and opposes the nearby Bitcoin mining operation. The tribe hopes that a safe and productive learning environment is restored for the Montessori. For information on how to support LSA, visit the school’s website at lakesuperioracademy.com or call the school at (906)259-1168.