Newsroom

The Sault Tribe Election Commission is looking for volunteers to open Primary Election ballots on April 30, 2026. Tribal members and tribal employees who would like to volunteer to assist the commission with opening the Primary Election ballots should contact the Election Commission via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Volunteers please include your full name and phone number. Any questions can be sent to that email also. Dinner will be provided for volunteers at 4 p.m. with the opening starting at 5 p.m.

Thank you,
Sault Tribe Election Commission.

The following Sault Tribe Committees have vacant seats or upcoming vacancies. Sault Tribe members interested in filling these vacancies should submit one letter of intent and three letters of recommendation (forms available online or contact Lona) from other members to Lona Stewart at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 523 Ashmun Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, or call 906‑635‑6050 with any questions.

Anishinaabe Cultural Committee - One vacancy - male (4-year term)
Child Welfare Committee - Two vacancies - one term expires November 2026, one expires May 2029
Conservation Committee:
Commercial Fishers - Two vacancies (4-year term) (current terms are expired)
Non-Commercial Fishers - Two vacancies (4-year term) (current terms are expired)
Commercial Fisher - One vacancy (current term expires May 2026)
Non-Commercial Fisher - One vacancy (current term expires May 2026)
Elder Advisory Committee
Unit I - Sault - One regular vacancy (4-year term), one alternate vacancy (4-year term)
Unit II - Newberry - One alternate vacancy (4-year term)
Unit III - St. Ignace - One regular vacancy - term expires October 2029, two alternate vacancies (4-year terms)
Unit V - Marquette - One alternate vacancy (4-year term)
Elder Subcommittees
Unit I - Sault - One regular vacancy - term expires September 2029
Unit II - Naubinway - One regular vacancy - term expires May 2027
Unit II - Newberry - One regular vacancy (4-year term)
Unit III - St. Ignace - One alternate vacancy - term expires March 2028
Unit IV - Escanaba - One regular vacancy (4-year term)
Unit IV - Manistique - One regular vacancy (4-year term)
Unit V - Munising - One alternate vacancy (4-year term)
Unit V - Marquette - One alternate vacancy (4-year term)
Food Sovereignty Committee – Three vacancies (4-year terms)
Health Board - One vacancy (4-year term)
Sault Tribe Election Commission - Three vacancies terms expiring November 2030

The Sault Tribe Board of Directors’ Workshop Agenda for April 14, 2026, is the following:

Agenda: 9 a.m. JKL Fiduciary Committee Meeting; 10:15 a.m. Budgets (CLOSED); 10:30 a.m. Kewadin Audit Presentation (CLOSED); 11:45 (or upon conclusion of KGA Workshop) Kewadin Gaming Authority Meeting; 1:15 p.m. Proposed Government Organization Charts (CLOSED), General Counsel, Govt. CEO and CFO; 1:45 p.m. Government Executive Reports (CLOSED); 3:30 p.m. STI Annual Report (CLOSED).

The workshop is being held at the Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room. Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items, or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —A Kewadin Casinos Gaming Authority meeting will be held at 11:45 a.m. (or upon conclusion of KGA workshop), April 14, 2026, at Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room, in person or by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. The link is available at the Sault Tribe website saulttribe.com under membership assistance for the meeting link. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again.

On the agenda under Business is KGA Acceptance of 2025 Kewadin Casinos Audit and KGA Acceptance of 2025 Northern Casinos Audit - All Sites.

Agenda

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. —There will be a JKL Fiduciary Committee Meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the Kewadin Casinos Whitefish Point Room.

On the agenda under School Reports is Malcolm High School, Sault Tribe Education, JKL Bahweting Anishnabe School and JKL High School Update.

Tribal members may attend the workshop except for closed sessions or items, or attend by Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Agenda

Please see the attached Election Commission notice to hear an election complaint.

Notice of Hearing

The Board of Directors voted at its meeting on April 7, 2026, to terminate the employment agreement with Tribal Court Chief Judge Charles Palmer, effective immediately.

This decision was the result of unacceptable conduct from the bench and a series of court decisions that were contrary to the tribe’s sovereignty and could have diminished the tribe’s ability to properly defend its sovereign status going forward. The board determined that this conduct was in violation of the employment agreement entered between the tribe and Judge Palmer.

The board authorized the tribal chairman to execute necessary contracts, subject to board review, to find judges to handle the Tribal Court cases while they initiate a search for a new chief judge. The Board of Directors staff will work with Tribal Court staff to ensure there is as limited disruption to court services as possible.

Board Statement April 8, 2026

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Board of Directors will hold a regular meeting April 7, 2026, beginning 5 p.m. at Sault Kewadin Casino Whitefish Point Room, in person or via Zoom, https://zoom.us/j/83640619761.

“Membership Participation” will be held at 5 p.m. in person or by virtual attendance. The link is available at the Sault Tribe website saulttribe.com under membership assistance for the meeting link and Membership Form that must be completed. The deadline to submit a form is 1 p.m. on meeting day. The link is https://zoom.us/j/83640619761. Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again unless they have a matter for the board.

To attend the scheduled workshop, except for closed session or items, go to https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84149623333. Those who have already registered to Zoom Board of Directors meetings need not register for workshops.

Those who have already registered for Zoom meetings need not register again.

On the agenda under Resolutions is:
FY25 Year End Reconciliations/Modifications
FY25 ARPA Budgets
FY26 ARPA Budgets
Establish FY26 Aquatic Invasive Species Budget
Establish FY26 BIA Forestry Budget
Establish FY26 GLRI Coastal Initiative Budget
Establish FY26 2022 Tribal Victim Services Budget
Accept Grant/Est. FY26 2025 Victim Services Budget
Legal FY26 Budget Modification
Contract with Loyola University - Manoomin
2026 National Coastal Resilience Application
Accept Cybersecurity Grant Award
Accept AP Wireless Devices Grant Award
Health - Reappropriate 3rd Party Revenue
Governmental Emergency Conditions Policy
Housing Adopt Governmental Wage Grid
Moratorium Prohibiting AI Data Centers

Under New Business, the board will consider Disenrollment, Reaffirming 2024-118 – Protection of First Families, and Board Concerns.

Resolutions

Learn to make your own ribbon skirt!
May 2 & 3, 2026
Marquette Community Center, 204 Cherry Creek Rd., Marquette, MI 49855
Ages 16-plus, limited to 12 participants

The workshop will be led by our very own Chelsea and Rosemary! Participants will leave with their own ribbon skirt. To register, contact Stacie Chambers at (906) 379-8061 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Flyer

The Election Commission would like to notify Sault Tribe members that the 2026 Primary and General Election Ballots will look different than past election ballots. In the past, each unit received a ballot on different colored paper based on the registered unit. The 2026 Election will not have colored paper representing the five voting units; they instead will be white with certain sections of the ballot a different color distinguishing the different units.

The Election Commission understands this is a big change from the past elections, however, with upgrading the election software and hardware, this was a necessary change. We would like to assure the voters that there are multiple security measures that are placed on the ballots to hinder duplicating ballots. Any questions or concerns, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..