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Unofficial Secretarial Election Notice

The secretarial election process to determine if the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians adopts an amended constitution creating a three separate co-equal branch government is under way. Here are a set of dates to keep an eye on starting next week with election packet mailings and going through tabulation night on Nov. 19.

Beginning Sept. 23, secretarial election notice packets will be sent via U.S. Mail to the mailing addresses of Sault Tribe citizens who are 18 years of age or older on or before Nov. 19, 2026. These packets include copies of the proposed amended constitution, the Constiution, and voter registration forms. Voter registration forms must be returned to the Secretarial Election Board no later than 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 19.

The only way to participate in this secretarial election is by returning your registration form on time by U.S. Mail. If you are eligible to vote and do not receive your packet, you should contact the Secretarial Election Board chairman or a board member.

Following the deadline to receive voter registration forms on Oct. 19, the initial Registered Voters List will be posted at the Sault Tribe Governmental Office and at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Michigan Agency in Sault Ste. Marie. The lists are expected to be posted by 4:30 p.m. EDT or shortly thereafter on Oct. 19.

Sault Tribe citizens may challenge the inclusion, exclusion or omission of a name on the Registered Voters List. These written challenges must be submitted to the Secretarial Election Board Chairman no later than 4:30 p.m. EDT on Oct. 22 and must include the name of the affected individual or individuals, the reason why the name in question should be added or removed from the Registered Voters List, and supporting documentation. If an individual failed to submit their registration form on time, that person is precluded from challenging their own omission from the list. The Final Registered Voters List will be posted on or about 4:30 p.m. EDT on Oct. 23 at the Sault Tribe Governmental Office and the BIA, Michigan Agency.

Shortly after the Registered Voters List is finalized, a Mailout Ballot Packet will be sent by U.S. Mail to each registered voter on Oct. 26. These packets will include instructions on how to submit your ballot. They must be returned by U.S. Mail by Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. EDT or for one day only they may be hand delivered to the DreamMakers Theater at Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Remember, you will be voting “yes” or “no” on if the Constitution will be amended to create three separate and equal branches of government. This will be the only question on the ballot.

Ballots will be opened and countered beginning at 4 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the DreamMakers Theater. Following the counting, election results will be posted on or about Nov. 19 at the Sault Tribe Governmental Office and BIA, Michigan Agency.
Registered voters may challenge the results of the election with a written challenge that includes substantiating evidence. These challenges must be received by the Chairman of the Secretarial Election Board by Nov. 24 at 4:30 p.m. EDT. Challenges received after this deadline will not be considered.

If Sault Tribe citizens vote “yes” to adopt an amended constitution, the results of the secretarial election go to the U.S. Department of the Interior for certification. If certified, the amended constitution takes effect establishing a three-branch government for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Tribal Council would then have up to 18 months to update Tribal laws as required by the newly amended constitution.

The Sault Tribe Governmental Office is located at 523 Ashmun St., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The BIA, Michigan Agency building is located at 2845 Ashmun St., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The BIA’s Nicholas VanAlstine chairs the Secretarial Election Board. The Secretarial Election Board is composed of the following Sault Tribe citizens: Carolyn Dale, Jackie Minton, Colleen Utter, T.J. Derwin, Taylor Spade, Clarence Hudak, and Emily Smith.

For more on the secretarial election and to view the proposed amended constitution visit here.

Proposed 3-Branch Amended Sault Tribe Constitution

 

Sault Tribe supports LSA

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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.

© 2026 - Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Ken Bosma / CC BY