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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

Details: Category: Child Placement; Published: 13 March 2019

MDHHS Investigations involving Sault Tribe Children and Families

Upon receiving information that a child may be a member or eligible for membership in the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the caseworker must contact the Sault Tribe ACFS Office via phone at 800‑726‑0093 or 906‑632‑5250 and request to speak with Tribal ICWA/MIFPA contact to provide notification of an investigation involving a tribal child and to begin the engagement of the Tribe into the provision of culturally appropriate active efforts. The caseworker must also complete and process the MDHHS 5598.
The completed MDHHS 5598 may be submitted to:

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Melissa VanLuven, ICWA Program Director
2218 Shunk Road, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sault Tribe Family Support Services:

Sault Tribe has a primary service area in the following 7 counties in the Upper Peninsula: Chippewa, Mackinac, Luce, Alger, Schoolcraft, Marquette, and Delta. When conducting investigations within these service areas, the Tribe is able to provide a variety of direct family support services to include: Parenting Education, Family Continuity, Adolescent In-Home Assistance, and Prevention. A referral for family support services can be made at any point Children’s Protective Services is working with a tribal family. To obtain a referral form, please do so by calling 800‑726‑0093.

Sault Tribe Children’s Protective Services:

Sault Tribe conducts Children and Adult Protective Services investigations for tribal children and families who reside on Sault Tribe Trust Land. Sault Tribe also has specific after hour’s agreements with MDHHS to allow MDHHS staff to conduct emergency investigations on Trust Land. Sault Tribe has a Centralized Intake Unit Routing Protocol on file with the Centralized Intake Program to allow for routine referral routing and follow up involving CPS/APS referrals that are called into the Centralized Intake Number. The designated Sault Tribe contact for the CIU program is the following mailbox: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Court Intervention:

If it is determined that court intervention is needed on a case the caseworker must call the Tribal ICWA/MIFPA contact immediately to ensure verbal notification to the Tribe of the pending court action as well as to develop a plan of action including safety planning, exploring and identifying potential placement resources, and requesting QEW contact information. The caseworker must ensure the Tribal ICWA/MIFPA contact is provided a copy of the petition as soon as it’s available/filed. The caseworker must also ensure that a MDHHS 120 with the supporting attachments is completed and processed in compliance with the law and MDHHS policy.