Brief update about Northern Cheyenne Politics

LAME DEER, Mont. – On Thursday, October 30, an election will take place on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation to fill eight seats on the Tribal Council. This election has been called by the traditional chiefs, who are now in control of the tribal government after ousting the previously elected Tribal Council. The results will be reported in the next issue of Native Sun News Today.

Pursuant to the dictates of the Chiefs, all of the candidates are men. Citing the original 1936 IRA constitution, they declared that women cannot hold tribal political office. They also went a step further—declaring that women and children cannot attend Tribal Council meetings. These developments have greatly disturbed many Northern Cheyenne women, who believe this constitutes a civil rights violation. Others in the community support the Chiefs’ decision. Not all the Chiefs agree; one supporter is J.C. Bement, who carries the most important bundles for the Tribe. He reminded them— and told Native Sun News—that this decision could affect federal funding. However, majority rule prevails.

Readers may recall that political turmoil has been prevalent at Northern Cheyenne, mainly centered around questions about how approximately 90 million dollars in COVID-related funds were spent by previous tribal administrations.

The events are complex and difficult to keep up with. To briefly summarize: the elected Tribal Council attempted to remove President Gene Small; violence erupted, resulting in the arrests of several protestors; the Tribal

Council continued to meet in closed sessions, believing they had a successful vote to remove the Tribal President; the B.I.A. initially intervened, calling the vote counterfeit and recognizing Small as President; lawyers on both sides became involved. The B.I.A. wavered several times before recognizing the traditional Chiefs and then withdrawing, deeming it an internal matter for the Tribe. The Chiefs then stepped up and forcibly removed elected officials—the tribal Secretary and Treasurer—with the assistance of BIA law enforcement. The Chiefs took control of the government. Subsequently, the bank, unsure of authorized signers, closed the tribal checking accounts. The elected Council attempted to resume their duties but was met with arrests and incarceration. The Chiefs called for a special election. Meanwhile, the old Council is appealing to the tribal constitutional court to hear their case.

The current tribal constitution, last amended in 1996 by referendum, remains in effect. It clearly outlines election procedures expected to take about two months: notice of election, filing date and fees, confirmation of eligibility, notice of primary election, holding the primary, notice of those qualifying for the general election, and then the general election. There is usually a transition period, with the election finalized in November and the new officials assuming office in January. Typically, resolutions are enacted by the Council and relayed to the B.I.A., which grants rubber-stamp approval. However, this process is not possible now due to the government shutdown.

The Chiefs have apparently decided that this process is too burdensome and that the entire election should take place within two weeks. There are no public printed notices posted; residents must rely on Facebook, if they see it. Many citizens on the Reservation are aware that an election will be held on October 30, 2025. As a result, voter turnout may be very low, and many are questioning whether this election is legal. The situation remains a conundrum.

Look forward to the next installment.

(Contact Clara Caufield at acheyennereview@gmail.com)

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