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By Rose Hooper
Michell Hicks secured 51 percent of the votes in the Sept. 4 tribal
election to become the new principal chief of the Eastern Band
of Cherokee.
The 38-year-old Hicks, who has worked the past eight years as
the tribe's financial officer, defeated tribal Vice Chief Carroll
Crowe 1,962-1,870.
The unofficial election results show Larry Blythe receiving 2,106
votes, defeating Teresa Bradley McCoy at 1,600 votes for the office
of vice chief. McCoy gave up the Big Cove representative seat
she has held for the last 14 years to run for the tribe's second
in command.
Bob Blankenship, currently involved in an impeachment process,
garnered the votes to retain his seat on tribal council representing
Yellowhill community.
Blankenship was charged along with Principal Chief Leon Jones
of violating the tribe's confidentiality policy and using the
13,000-enrolled-member list for political gain. He resigned last
month as council chairman.
Meanwhile, Brenda Long-Norville, Snowbird/Cherokee County representative,
has filed a complaint with the Tribal Board of Elections. She
alleges that current representative Glenda Sanders misled voters
by telling them to register to vote in Cherokee County because
of their ancestry.
In the complaint Norville said that residency, not ancestry, should
determine where a person votes. As of press time, the board of
elections was continuing to meet to consider Norville's complaint.
Other unofficial results, with each community electing two representatives,
show Alan Ensley as the top vote getter in Yellowhill with 271
votes, followed by Blankenship with 208 votes, who defeated Richard
"Twidge" Welch by two votes at 206; Missy Crowe received
146 votes.
In Birdtown, Jim Owle came out on top with 533 votes, followed
by Albert Dewitt Crowe with 510 votes, Dan McCoy with 499 votes
and William Jesse Murphy with 141 votes.
In Wolfetown, top vote getters were Dwayne "Tuff" Jackson
with 510 votes and Mike Parker with 417 votes, followed by Roland
Carr Crowe with 404 votes and Bob Parker with 202 votes.
Snowbird/Cherokee County results were Angela Rose Kephart, 364;
Abe Wachacha, 277; Brenda Long-Norville, 235; and William "Billy"
Brown, 140.
Painttown results were Tommye Saunooke, 361; Marie Junaluska,
266; Jim Farris, 177; and Mark Wayne Hick, 168.
In Big Cove, Perry Shell received the most votes at 262; Mary
Thompson, 204 votes; Myrtle Driver Johnson, 150 votes; and Francine
P. Watty, 133 votes.
Chief Jones was defeated in the June 5 primary in his bid for
re-election.
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