Cherokee election results keep changing

[RecycleMichael]

Cherokee Election Commission officially declares Chad Smith winner

By LENZY KREHBIEL-BURTON World Correspondent


Published: 6/27/2011  TAHLEQUAH -- The Cherokee Election Commission on Monday overturned unofficial results in the election of the tribe's principal chief and officially declared incumbent Chad Smith the winner by seven votes.

Unofficial returns showed challenger Bill John Baker won the election by 11 votes.

But the election commission on Monday said the total was 7,609 votes for Smith to 7,602 votes for Baker, or a .04 percentage difference.

There was no immediate reason given how the commission determined the change.

"We are shocked at these developments," said Johnathan Levy, a senior member of the Baker campaign. "We are trying to fully understand what has happened. We are reviewing all options."

Immediately prior to the commission's announcement, Smith said during a news conference he would contest the election.

"This election is not over. We have processes in place – checks and balances. "There are provisions in place for recounts, recalls and challenges and we will honor them," Smith said at a news conference on Monday.

"The Cherokee people have a right to know.

"I'm confident that when this is done it will show that I will continue to be the principal chief," Smith said.

Cherokee law requires any recount requests to be filed by Wednesday and election result appeals to be filed by July 4. According to the election commission, a recount would happen either June 30 or July 1. Any filed appeals would go through the tribe's Supreme Court.

On Sunday morning, Baker was announced the winner, 7,600 to 7,589.

The result was announced following an all-night session of vote-counting and recounting.

After results from the tribe's 39 precincts were initially reported on Saturday night, the margin of victory -- originally in Smith's favor -- was fewer than 10 votes, prompting the tribe's election commission to examine more than 250 challenged ballots that were originally disallowed from the vote total.

Those ballots included voters whose names were not on specific precinct lists, officials said.

The review started around 11 p.m.Saturday and ran throughout the night, with the results announced just before 7 a.m.Sunday.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20110627_11_0_TAHLEQ110259

[sgrizzle]

Bush won

[Conan71]

Bush Diebold won

FIFY

[RecycleMichael]

There has just got to be a hanging Chad joke in here somewhere.

[Conan71]

There has just got to be a hanging Chad joke in here somewhere.

[DolfanBob]

I knew this wasnt over after I heard how many votes Smith lost by.
He seems to me a guy who has quite a bit of control and wasnt going down without a fight.
Chief must be a very nice position to have in this economy.
Kinda curious what kind of coin that position brings in.

[Conan71]

I knew this wasnt over after I heard how many votes Smith lost by.
He seems to me a guy who has quite a bit of control and wasnt going down without a fight.
Chief must be a very nice position to have in this economy.
Kinda curious what kind of coin that position brings in.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he had a pretty good law practice out in Sapulpa before he was the chief.

But there again, I've heard before many attorneys turn to politics because it's a more stable income.  Who knows?

[Breadburner]

Casino or Slurpee....

[nathanm]

You want stable income in a down economy? Become a bankruptcy attorney. You'll be turning clients away. And you get paid first, so the fact that your clients come to you because they can't pay their bills isn't a problem.

[cynical]

After leaving the Creek County DA's office in 1987, Smith's law practice was with Darell Matlock in Southwest Tulsa, near 33rd W. Ave. and SW Blvd. Incidentally but probably not coincidentally, Matlock is now a Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice. 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he had a pretty good law practice out in Sapulpa before he was the chief.

But there again, I've heard before many attorneys turn to politics because it's a more stable income.  Who knows?

[Conan71]

You want stable income in a down economy? Become a bankruptcy attorney. You'll be turning clients away. And you get paid first, so the fact that your clients come to you because they can't pay their bills isn't a problem.

Pretty much the same as an undertaker.  Either job would be pretty crappy.

[Townsend]

FB post from KOTV:

News On 6 reporter Dan Bewley reports the Cherokee Supreme Court has ordered a recount to begin in the election for chief.

[Breadburner]

Maybe they should just Indian leg wrestle for it....

[Townsend]

Baker's claiming the win after the recount.

[Conan71]

And Smith will announce his victory tomorrow after more threats and intimidation.