Sault Tribe supports LSA

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Secretarial Election set to be held on or before Sept. 26

Sault Tribe members, mark your calendars. The Secretarial Election on proposed constitutional amendments establishing a three-branch government is set to be held on or before Sept. 26, 2026.

Once the Secretarial Election Board is formed, it will establish the official election date and election timeline. The Sault Tribe is accepting volunteers to serve on the board through July 3. The Board of Directors will randomly select one tribal citizen from each voting unit and two at-large tribal citizens during its July 7 meeting.
Tribal citizens interested in serving on the Secretarial Election Board are encouraged to submit their interest by emailing legal@saulttribe.net.

In May, the Sault Tribe Board of Directors unanimously voted to submit proposed constitutional amendments to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), beginning the Secretarial Election process. The election is administered by the BIA and is required under federal law and Article X of the Sault Tribe Constitution.

When ballots are mailed later this summer or early fall, eligible tribal citizens will vote "yes" or "no" on whether to adopt the proposed constitutional amendments establishing three separate and equal branches of government.

To ensure ballots and election information are received, tribal citizens are encouraged to verify that their mailing address is up to date with Tribal Enrollment.

Constitutional Amendment Update

Resolution 2026-145 requests a secretarial election on proposed constitutional amendments and places the decision to update the tribe’s Constitution in the hands of Sault Tribe membership. The resolution will be sent to the BIA by June 19 and then the BIA will begin the federal election process. Linked below are the Resolution 2026-145 and the Attached Amended Constitution drafts. Please watch the tribe’s website and Facebook in the coming months for updates on this.

3 Branch Separation Amendments Attachment for Reso 2026-145

2026-145 Authorizing Amended Constitution Submission for a Secretarial Election

Notice: Opportunity to Serve on the Secretarial Election Board for the Constitutional Amendment Election

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is seeking Tribal citizens who are interested in serving on the Secretarial Election Board for the upcoming Constitutional Amendment Election, which is expected to take place later this summer or in early fall.

The Secretarial Election Board will assist with duties related to the Secretarial Election process for the proposed constitutional amendments including setting deadlines for the election. The Tribe is seeking interested citizens from each of the five election units and representatives from the at large membership. The Board of Directors will select:

One tribal citizen from each unit, and two at-large tribal citizens.

Selection will be made by drawing names from the list of interested Tribal citizens. The drawing is anticipated to take place by the July 7 Board of Directors meeting.

Tribal citizens who are interested in being considered should submit their name, enrollment number, contact information, a letter of intent and the election unit in which they reside to legal@saulttribe.net . If selected you will be expected to be able to attend in person meetings in Sault Ste. Marie.

Interested citizens should submit their information no later than July 3, 2026.

For questions, please contact legal@saulttribe.net .

Miigwech to all Tribal citizens willing to participate in this important constitutional process.

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.