In the June 7 general election, six incumbent members of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council won reelection, while two open seats are headed to a July 26 runoff.
The races for Districts 2, 5, 7, 10, 11 and 15 and the seat representing Cherokee Nation citizens living outside the nation’s borders “at large” were decided outright. However, races in Districts 4 and 9 will move to a runoff election. All six incumbents in the election — Candessa Tehee, Joshua Sam, Melvina Shotpouch, Kendra McGeady, Danny Callison and Johnny Jack Kidwell — won their races outright.
The Cherokee Nation Election Commission certified the results Monday morning, although a challenge period where a candidate could request a recount or lodge irregularities does exist.
As the nation’s legislative branch, the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council features 15 physical districts and two at-large seats for citizens residing outside of reservation boundaries. Cherokee citizens could cast absentee ballots by mail or vote in person for races in the physical districts and by absentee mail only for the at-large seat.
Candessa Tehee retains District 2
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Candessa Tehee won the District 2 race with 328 total votes cast (85.1 percent). She defeated her sole challenger, Issac Collins, who earned 49 votes.
“I will push for more cultural education and events so more people can learn and be proud of our traditions,” Tehee told the Cherokee Phoenix in a Q&A. “My whole life has been about keeping our heritage strong, and I will continue to do that as a councilor.”
District 4 heading to runoff
Uriah Grass and Janis Dearman are set to meet in a July 26 runoff after finishing ahead of the rest of the District 14 field. Grass received 282 votes (or 40.8 percent) of 692 votes cast, while Dearman got 223 votes (or 32.2 percent).
Other candidates in that race were Stephen Maples (103 votes), Mandy Scott (43 votes), Joie Sneed (24 votes) and Elana Stroble Gallardo (17 votes).
Ashley Grant wins open Tulsa-area District 5 seat
In District 5, Ashley Grant emerged from a three-person race the race with 158 votes of 309 votes, earning 51.1 percent support and narrowly avoiding a runoff election.
“I’m committed to ensuring every Cherokee citizen has access to essential resources — from housing and healthcare to education — all while fiercely protecting tribal sovereignty,” Grant said in a Facebook post.
Other candidates in that race were Charles Wilkes, who received 115 votes, and Frank Whitlock, who got 36 votes.
Joshua Sam reelected to District 7
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Joshua Sam overwhelmingly won reelection in the District 7 race with 644 votes, or 89.2 percent support. His challenger, Derrick Ross, received 78 votes, or 10.8 percent support.
“As we have continued to invest in many areas that have provided more employment opportunities in our district, I know we must continue to bring more resources that will allow our working families to find employment opportunities near their homes,” Sam told the Cherokee Phoenix.
When Sam was first elected in 2021, he faced a challenge from an opponent accusing him of improperly notarizing ballots, but the challenge was dismissed with prejudice as “frivolous.”
District 9 heading to runoff
In District 9, 882 votes were cast, but no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote to earn outright election. According to the results, Clifton Hughes led the field with 330 votes (37.4 percent support).
As for second place, candidates Mike Purcell and Debra McGlasson tied with 174 votes (19.7 percent). However, McGlasson announced Monday that she has withdrawn from the race, and she added “Vote Mike Purcell” to our Facebook page.
Other candidates in that race were Rusty Henson (81 votes), Anthony Davis (75 votes), Connie Newton (41 votes) and Cody Scott (seven votes).
Melvina Shotpouch holds District 10
Incumbent Tribal Councilor Melvina Shotpouch won reelection to District 10 with 376 votes, or 70.3 percent, of 535 votes cast. Her opponent, Haley Buzzard, received 159 votes, or 29.7 percent support.
“The crown jewel in our nation is our immersion school,” Shotpouch wrote to the Cherokee Phoenix in a Q&A. “We must continue to improve and evolve as the best native immersion language learning school in the world. We must make sure that every Cherokee family has access to this incredible school and always strive to protect language and increase the number of native speakers.”
Kendra McGeady keeps District 11
In District 11, Kendra McGeady won reelection after 1,052 votes were cast. She received 614 votes (58.4 percent), while her opponents Janatha Ketchum-Carter and Timothy Keeton garnered 409 (38.9 percent) and 29 (2.8 percent) votes respectively.
“I will advocate for clear and open financial reporting to ensure that resources are directed towards initiatives that genuinely benefit District 11,” McGeady wrote to the Cherokee Phoenix in a Q&A. “Additionally, I will work with members to identify pressing local issues and develop tailored programs that effectively address these concerns.”
Danny Callison reelected to District 15
Incumbent Councilor Danny Callison overwhelmingly won the race for District 15. He gathered 496 votes or 90.7 percent support, while his opponent, Jennifer Blalock, received only 51 votes or 9.3 percent support.
“My job is to advocate for Cherokees in my district to the best of my ability,” Callison told the Cherokee Phoenix in a Q&A. “Boots on the ground is my way of knowing what the needs of my district are, being accessible to each and every Cherokee that needs assistance.”
Johnny Jack Kidwell clears challengers to retain at-large seat
The at-large seat up for election this cycle saw the most ballots cast: 2,642. Johnny Jack Kidwell won reelection to the council, receiving 2,084 votes, or 78.9 percent.
“There are many changes we have helped facilitate the past four years in the Cherokee Nation community,” Kidwell wrote on his website. “We together have accomplished much, but there is still work to be done.”
Other candidates in that race included Brandi Ross (444 votes), Jonathan Carter (83 votes) and William Crowder (31 votes).
