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By Rose Hooper
Several inches of snow in Cherokee Dec. 4, may have affected turnout
but did not stop tribal elections on the absentee ballot referendum.
The measure putting restrictions on absentee voting passed with
1,529 voting "yes" and 1,149 voting "no."
Some 664 absentee ballots were cast with 619 of those voting "no."
As of press time, those figures remain unofficial.
Now tribal members who live off the boundary, whether a few miles
or across the globe, will not be eligible to vote absentee unless
they meet the following requirements and are unable to return
to Cherokee to cast their votes:
1. Serving on active military duty;
2. Employed with the federal government assigned to duty other
than the Cherokee Indian Reservation;
3. Enrolled in institutions of higher education;
4. Employees of the tribe and are required to be away from Cherokee
for training or for reasons required by their employment on the
date of election;
5. Illness or physical condition
6. Physically reside on Cherokee trust lands but who will be absent
from Cherokee on election day for business or personal reasons.
More than 5,000 of the 12,500 enrolled members do not live on
the boundary.
Candidates in the September election saw how this block of votes
can affect election results.
A strong supporter of the referendum and a former Big Cove representative,
Teresa McCoy said that those living off the boundary should not
control the lives of those who live there.
Others like Bob Blankenship of Yellowhill maintain that where
one lives should not make them any less a member of the Eastern
Band.
Unofficial results are:
Birdtown – 334 yes, 222 no; Yellowhill – 177 yes, 154
no; Wolfetown – 387 yes, 147 no; Big Cove – 235 yes,
80 no; Painttown – 210 yes, 159 no; Snowbird – 152 yes,
32 no; Cherokee Co. – 34 yes, 355 no.
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