By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – Around 32 percent of the registered voters of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians turned out to cast a ballot in the Primary Election on Thursday, July 17. According to information from the EBCI Board of Elections, 1,370 of the 4,285 registered voters cast a ballot for a voter participation of 31.97 percent.
The results given below are unofficial until they are certified. According to Cherokee Code Sec. 161-16.1(a), “At the meeting of Tribal Council on the first Monday of October following a general election, or after the first meeting of the Tribal Council following a special or primary election, the Board of Elections shall certify the election to the Tribal Council.”
Four townships held a Primary Election on Thursday including: Kolanvyi (Big Cove), Tsisqwohi (Birdtown), Elawodi (Yellowhill), and Tsalagi Gadugi (Cherokee County)/Tutiyi (Snowbird). Wayohi (Wolftown) and Aniwodihi (Painttown) did not have a Primary Election due to only having four candidates in each race.
Following are the unofficial results, per the EBCI Board of Elections, for the July 17 Primary Election (the top four in each race advance to the General Election):
Kolanvyi (Big Cove)
Lavita “Muffin” Hill – 111 (26.56 percent)
Venita K. Wolfe – 88 (21.05 percent)
Perry Shell – 75 (17.94 percent)
Richard French – 71 (16.99 percent)
Mary Welch Thompson – 32 (7.66 percent)
Karen Holiday – 22 (5.26 percent)
Simon Montelong – 19 (4.55 percent)
Tsisqwohi (Birdtown)
Patrick H. Lambert – 300 (29.24 percent)
Jim Owle – 253 (24.66 percent)
Boyd Owle – 246 (23.98 percent)
Joi Owle – 117 (11.40 percent)
Travis K. Smith – 110 (10.72 percent)
Elawodi (Yellowhill)
David Wolfe – 110 (25.88 percent)
Shennelle Feather – 95 (22.35 percent)
Tom Wahnetah – 84 (19.76 percent)
Chris Reed – 71 (16.71 percent)
T.W. (Price) Saunooke – 65 (15.29 percent)
Tsalagi Gadugi (Cherokee County)/Tutiyi (Snowbird)
Adam Wachacha – 183 (28.46 percent)
Buck Brown – 160 (24.88 percent)
Janell Rattler – 123 (19.13 percent)
Michael Smoker – 122 (18.97 percent)
Erik Oswalt – 55 (8.55 percent)
Following is a breakdown of voter participation by community:
- Kolanvyi (Big Cove) – Registered voters: 759; Voters casting ballot: 226; Voter participation: 29.78 percent
- Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) – Registered voters: 1,711; Voters casting ballot: 553; Voter participation: 32.32 percent
- Elawodi (Yellowhill) – Registered voters: 911; Voters casting ballot: 233; Voter participation: 25.58 percent
- Tsalagi Gadugi (Cherokee County) – Registered voters: 384; Voters casting ballot: 113; Voter participation: 29.43 percent
- Tutiyi (Snowbird) – Registered voters: 520; Voters casting ballot: 245; Voter participation: 47.12 percent
