Choctaw Nation citizens reelected four Tribal Council incumbents in Saturday’s general election, according to unofficial results.
Tony Ward of District 2, Eddie Bohanan of District 3, Perry Thompson of District 8 and Robert Karr of District 11 all managed to retain their seats for another four years. No incumbent received less than 77 percent of the vote.
The Tribal Council is the Choctaw Nation’s legislative body and consists of 12 members, one for each district, and all Tribal Council members are elected to four-year terms. Unlike some tribes, the Choctaw Nation does not employ term limits. Elected officials may serve an unlimited number of consecutive terms.
Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton and Tribal Councilors Thomas Williston of District 1 and Ron Perry of District 5 were also up for reelection this year. Drawing no opponents, they retained their seats by default after the candidate filing period closed in April.
Appointed in 2014 after the retirement of former Chief Gregory E. Pyle and duly elected in 2015, Batton will step into his 10th year and third full term as chief. In 2019, he was the only person who filed to run for chief and won his second term by default.
The Choctaw Nation election results are unofficial until the Election Board certifies the results in the coming days. The deadline to contest Choctaw Nation election results or request a recount is set for Wednesday, July 12. Elected officials are expected to be sworn in on Sept. 4.
Tribal Council District 2
With 562 votes (76.99 percent), Tony Ward was reelected to a third term. His opponent, Brent Minter, received 168 votes (23.01 percent).
Ward was first elected in 2015. He currently serves as speaker pro tempore of the Tribal Council and is a delegate to the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes.
Tribal Council District 3
Eddie Bohanan was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term with 632 votes (85.18 percent), defeating Kay Haering, who received 110 votes (14.82 percent).
First elected in 2019, Bohanan is a retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol lieutenant.
Tribal Council District 8
Receiving 836 votes (79.17 percent), Perry Thompson won an additional term, while his opponent, Larry Wade, received 220 votes (20.83 percent).
Thompson has held the District 8 Tribal Council seat since 1987.
Tribal Council District 11
With 987 votes (77.41 percent), Robert Karr won a second term, defeating Nellie Meashintubby, who received 288 votes (22.59 percent).
Karr was first elected in 2019. Before he was elected to the Tribal Council, he served on the McAlester City Council representing Ward 4 from 2010 to 2018. He has 34 years’ experience working for Rockwell, Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems.
