Monday, March 18, 2024

Oklahoma Tribal Resources

Bookmark this page for information about the 38 federally recognized tribes (and one still seeking recognition) located within the state of Oklahoma. Each tribe’s tab contains a basic overview of the nation and details about its government, including upcoming tribal elections and contact information.

Information on this page is subject to change as election dates come and go, and we encourage users to visit each tribe’s own website to verify that details listed here remain up to date.

If you use Twitter, be sure to follow our Tribes in Oklahoma list for easy access to the latest tweets from official tribal accounts and the accounts of tribal leaders. Also, check out The Frontier’s webpage regarding the history of the Indian Country reservations affirmed as a result of the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision.

If you see information that needs to be adjusted or added to this page, please email editorial@nondoc.com.

 

The Absentee Shawnee are governed by a five-member Executive Committee. On this committee sits the tribe’s governor, lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer and representative.

All members of the Executive Committee serve four-year terms. Justices for the Absentee Shawnee Supreme Court are appointed and approved by the Executive Committee.

The Absentee Shawnee has about 4,600 tribal members.

Election information

Governor: John Johnson
Lt. Governor: Ezra DeLodge
Date of next election: June 17, 2023
Election Commission: Website

Government details

Contact information

Address: 2025 S Gordon Cooper Dr, Shawnee, OK 74801
Phone: 405-275-4030
Website: astribe.com
Media: The Absentee Shawnee News
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/absentee-shawnee-tribe

The Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town is a federally recognized tribal town exisiting within and in connection to the Muscogee Nation. The Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town’s government operates several federal contract and grant programs and is working to gain land and facilities for the tribe. It is headed by the tribe’s chief, who serves a four year term.

Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town citizens — about 370 in total — also receive dual citizenship in the Muscogee Nation.

Election information

Chief: Wilson Yargee
Second chief: Rovena Yargee
Date of next election: 2025

Government details

More information

Address: 101 E. Broadway Wetumka, OK 74883
Phone: 405-452-3987
Website: alabama-quassarte.com
NonDoc articles: https://nondoc.com/tag/alabama-quassarte/

The Apache Tribe of Oklahoma’s Business Committee is made up of five elected members — the chairman, vice chairman, secretary/treasurer and two other committee members. All members of the Business Committee serve two-year terms.

The tribe’s enrollment is about 2,260.

Election information

Chairman: Durell Cooper
Vice-chairman:
Matthew Tselee
Date of next election: 2024

Government details

More information

Address: 511 E. Colorado St., Anadarko, OK 73005
Phone: 405-247-9493
Website: apachetribe.org
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/apache-tribe/

The Caddo Nation is governed by a Tribal Council whose members are elected by eligible citizens. This council is led by the tribe’s chairman and has seven other positions, including vice chairman, secretary, treasurer and representatives for Oklahoma City, Binger, Fort Cobb and Anadarko. All members of the Tribal Council serve four-year terms.

Caddo Nation elections are carried out and monitored by a five-member Election Board. Officer elections must be announced no later than 60 days but no earlier than 80 days prior to an election date, and issue elections must be announced between 30 and 50 days prior. The Caddo Nation population is about 6,000.

Election information

Chairman: Bobby Gonzalez
Vice-Chairwoman: Kelly Howell Factor
Date of next election: July 13, 2024
Election Board: Website

Government details

Contact information

Address: 117 Memorial Ln, Binger, OK 73009
Phone: 405-656-2344
Website: mycaddonation.com
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/caddo-nation

Cherokee Nation Tribal Council Election

The Cherokee Nation’s tripartite government is based in the nation’s capital, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Its executive branch is responsible for providing services to citizens through the principal chief, deputy principal chief and their cabinet. A 17-member Tribal Council oversees the tribe’s legislative duties, and Cherokee courts handle cases occurring in the Cherokee Nation’s 14-county jurisdiction.

Both the executive and legislative branches are made up of elected officials, all of whom serve four-year terms. The Cherokee Nation has more than 450,000 enrolled citizens, with about 270,000 living within Oklahoma and about 140,000 in the 14-county reservation in northeast Oklahoma.

Election information

Principal Chief: Chuck Hoskin, Jr.
Deputy Principal Chief: Bryan Warner
Date of next election: July 8, 2023
Election Commission: Website

Government details

More information

Address: 17675 S. Muskogee Ave. Tahlequah, OK 74464
Phone: 918-453-5000
Website: www.cherokee.org
MediaCherokee Phoenix
NonDoc articles: NonDoc.com/tag/cherokee-nation/

NonDoc articles

Seminole County theft, audit

Roundup: Bid riggers plead guilty, audit shows Seminole County theft, Talihina property disputed

Keeping tabs on all the investigations, developments and unusual legal scenarios in Oklahoma can be a tall task. The following roundup chronicles a few stories...
Kevin Stitt, Keith Stitt

A tale of two brothers: Kevin Stitt fights to limit McGirt ruling, Keith Stitt uses it to challenge ticket

While Gov. Kevin Stitt has made defending state sovereignty a major goal of his administration since the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, his older brother...
Brayden Bull, Crosson decision

Precedential prosecution: How Brayden Bull ended up in federal, state and tribal courts

The Rogers County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant and arrested Brayden Kent Bull on Nov. 18, 2021, for possession of child pornography. Since...
Sara Hill confirmed

Sara Hill confirmed as federal judge for Northern District of Oklahoma

(Correction: This article was updated at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, to reflect that former federal prosecutor John D. Russell was also confirmed to...
Tristan Loveless, Tulsa courts reporter

From teaching, to law school, to journalism: Meet NonDoc’s new courts-focused Tulsa reporter

TULSA — I grew up talking politics. Election season conversations around the dinner table were frequent and sometimes tense. But I loved it and...
United Keetoowah Band compact

United Keetoowah Band, Kialegee Tribal Town leaders ‘disappointed’ after Legislature rejects gaming compacts

For leaders of the Kialegee Tribal Town and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, Wednesday's meeting of a rarely convened committee of the Oklahoma...
Drummond lawsuit tribal gaming compacts

‘An extraordinary act’: Drummond enters lawsuit over tribal gaming compacts

Going against the wishes of Gov. Kevin Stitt, whom he claims is betraying his duties to the state and wasting taxpayer money on private...
tribal gaming lawsuit

Treat formally requests Drummond intervention in tribal gaming lawsuit

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, who says Gov. Kevin Stitt "refuses to respect Oklahoma law and the constitutional restraints on his power," is...

The power of government in the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes is divided between four branches — the Tribal Council, the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. The Tribal Council is made up of all enrolled tribal members over the age of 18, and it has the power to set policy, authorize the governor to enter into treaties/compacts, approve the annual budget and establish its own rules of order and procedure.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho’s eight-member Legislature serves four-year terms of service. The executive branch consists of the governor and lieutenant governor, who run on a ballot together and serve four-year terms. The tribe’s population totals about 12,200.

Election information

Governor: Reggie Wassana
Lieutenant Governor
: Gilbert Miles
Date of next election: Oct. 3, 2023
Election commission: Website

Government details

Contact information

Address: 100 Red Moon Cir, Concho, OK 73022
Phone: 405-262-0345
Website: cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/cheyenne-and-arapaho

The Chickasaw Nation’s three-department system of government consists of an executive headed by Gov. Bill Anoatubby, a legislature composed of 13 elected representatives and a judiciary including three Supreme Court justices who are popularly elected.

The governor and lieutenant governor are elected to four-year terms. Representatives and Supreme Court justices serve for three years. The Chickasaw Nation’s enrolled population is about 75,000.

Election information

Governor: Bill Anoatubby
Lieutenant Governor: Chris Anoatubby
Date of next election: July 25, 2023
Election Office and voter registration: Website

Government details

More information

Address: 520 E. Arlington, Ada, OK 74820
Phone: 580-436-2603
Website: chickasaw.net
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/chickasaw-nation

Headquartered in Durant with its past capital in Tuskahoma, the Choctaw Nation operates a three-branch system of government.

Chief Gary Batton and Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr. control the executive branch and are elected to four-year terms. The Choctaw Nation’s 12 district representatives, who make up the Tribal Council, also serve four-year terms. The Choctaw Nation’s court system is made up of a single-judge trial court and a three-member appellate court.

The tribe’s overall enrollment is about 223,300 with about 84,700 citizens living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Gary Batton
Assistant Chief: Jack Austin, Jr.
Date of next election: July 8, 2023 (Details)
Tribal elections: Website
Voter registration: Website

Government details

More information

Address: 1802 Chukka Hina, Durant, OK 74701
Phone: 800-522-6170
Website: choctawnation.com
NonDoc articles: NonDoc.com/tag/choctaw-nation/

The government of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation consists of a three-person executive branch and a 16-person Legislature, which includes the three members of the executive branch.

Executive officers serve four-year terms, as do the tribe’s other legislators. The other 13 members of the Tribal Legislature are elected from five Oklahoma districts and eight districts representing tribal members in the rest of the United States.

The tribe’s enrolled population is about 38,000, with about 10,300 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chairman: John “Rocky” Barrett
Vice-Chairman: Linda Capps
Date of next election: June 24, 2023
Elections Commission: Website

Government details

Contact information

Address: 1601 S. Gordon Cooper Dr. Shawnee, OK 74801
Phone: 405-275-3121
Website: potawatomi.org
Media: Hownikan
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/citizen-potawatomi-nation

The Comanche Nation is governed by its Tribal Council, which is made up of every enrolled member over the age of 18. Collectively, this Tribal Council elects seven government officials — the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary/treasurer and four committeemen (who collectively are called the Comanche Business Committee). These officials are expected to carry out the Comanche Nation’s constitutional mission — defining, establishing and safeguarding the rights, powers and privileges of the tribe and its members.

The Tribal Administrator, who is also elected by the Tribal Council, oversees the day-to-day operations of the tribal government. The Comanche Nation has about 17,000 enrolled citizens, about 7,000 of whom reside in the Lawton area.

Election information

Chairman: Mark Woommavovah
Vice-Chair: Cornel Pewewardy
Date of next election: June 10, 2023
Election Office: Website

Government details

Contact information

Address: 584 N.W. Bingo Road, Lawton, OK 73507
Phone: 580-492-3240
Website: comanchenation.com
Media: The Comanche Nation News
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/comanche-nation

Formerly known as the Absentee Delaware, the Anadarko-based Delaware Nation’s executive committee is made up of six members — the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and two other elected committee members. The nation features an administration office that “serves as the liaison between the executive committee and the program directors.”

Elections are held every four years, and the Delaware Nation’s enrolled population is about 1,700, with about 1,100 living in Oklahoma.

Election information

President: Deborah Dotson
Vice President: Michael McLane
Date of next election: June 17, 2023

Contact information

Address: 31064 State Highway 281, Building 100, Anadarko, OK 73005
Phone: 405-247-2448
Website: delawarenation.com

The governing body of the Delaware Tribe of Indians is the seven-member Tribal Council, which includes the tribe’s chief, assistant chief, secretary, treasurer and three representatives. All Tribal Council members serve four-year terms.

Elections are held in even-numbered years on the first Saturday of November.

Election information

Chief: Brad KillsCrow
Assistant Chief: Tonya Anna
Date of next election: Nov. 2, 2024

Contact information

Address: 170 N Barbara Ave, Bartlesville, OK 74006
Phone: 918-337-6590
Website: delawaretribei.org

The government of the Eastern Shawnee is divided into three branches. The executive branch consists of the chief, the legislative branch consists of the Eastern Shawnee Business Committee and the judicial consists of the Eastern Shawnee Judiciary.

The chief and all members of the Business Committee (the second chief, the secretary, the treasurer and three council persons) are elected to four-year terms.

The Eastern Shawnee’s population is about 2,800, with about 900 living in Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Glenna J. Wallace
Second Chief: Chris Samples
Date of next election: Sept. 9, 2023

Contact information

Address: 10080 S Bluejacket Rd, Wyandotte, OK 74370
Phone: 918-238-5151
Website: estoo-nsn.gov

Also spelled “Yuchi,” the Euchee Tribe based in Sapulpa has historical ties to eastern Tennessee. The tribe has long sought federal recognition without success. Many Euchee tribal members are enrolled citizens of other federally recognized nations, and the Dawes Commission classified Euchee as members of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation for land allotment.

Nine Euchee bands were moved to Indian Territory, and the remaining three ceremonial grounds are located in Tulsa and Creek counties. Beyond a Facebook page, the Euchee appear to lack a sustained online presence. The Euchee Tribe does not currently maintain an office space.

Election information

Executive Director: Geoffrey Rolland
Date of next election: TBD

Contact information

Facebook: click here

The Fort Sill Apache Tribe is comprised of descendants of Chiricahua and Warm Springs Apaches who were removed from their homelands in Arizona and New Mexico and held by the United States as prisoners of war from 1886 to 1914. Current tribal members are descended from 81 people who received allotments of land in Oklahoma after they were released.

Currently, the tribe’s Business Committee is composed of six members — the chairman, vice chairman, secretary-treasurer and three other elected committee members. These committee members all serve two-year terms. Elections are held every year.

The tribe’s budget is approved in annual meetings of the General Council, which is made up of every enrolled tribal member over the age of 18. The Fort Sill Apache Tribe has about 670 enrolled tribal members, with about 300 living in Oklahoma.

The Fort Sill Apache Tribe’s website features profiles of 11 prominent ancestors.

Election information

Chairwoman: Lori Gooday Ware
Vice-Chairman: Pamela Eagleshield
Date of next election: 2023

Contact information

Address: 43187 US Highway 281, Apache, OK 73006
Phone: 580-588-2298
Website: fortsillapache-nsn.gov

A Business Committee composed of five elected members represents the officers selected every two years by the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma’s General Council, which includes every tribal member over the age of 18.

The Business Committee consists of the tribe’s chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, treasurer and one additional elected committee member. The Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma has about 800 enrolled members, and its daily operations are overseen by an executive director.

Election information

Chairman: Jacob Keyes
Vice-Chairman: Vacant
Date of next election: June 1, 2024

Contact information

Address: 335588 E. 750 Rd., Perkins, OK. 74059
Phone: 405-547-2402
Website: bahkhoje.com

Seven elected officials make up the Kaw Nation’s Tribal Council, which is responsible for representing, negotiating, regulating and otherwise serving the tribe’s members.

These officials include the tribe’s chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary and four other elected officials. While the chairperson must preside over all Tribal Council meetings, they must only vote on proposed legislation if that vote is needed to break a tie.

Of the Kaw Nation’s roughly 3,800 enrolled citizens, about 1,400 live within the state of Oklahoma.

Election information

Chair: Kim Jenkins
Vice Chair: James Pepper Henry
Date of next election: 2024
Election Board website: click here

Contact information

Address: 698 Grandview Dr., Kaw City, OK
Phone: 580-269-2552
Website: kawnation.com

Based in Wetumka, the Kialegee Tribal Town’s government features a chief executive, or Mekko, who is elected every two years and is assisted by warriors, a treasurer and a secretary.

This executive body is responsible for providing services to the tribe, which features a population of about 700.

Election information

Mekko: Brian Givens
Date of next election: June 8, 2023

Contact information

Address: 627 E. HWY 9, Wetumka, OK 74883
Phone: 405-452-3262
Website: https://www.kialegeetribaltown.net

The Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma’s supreme governing body, the Kickapoo Council, is comprised of every tribal member over the age of 21 residing in Oklahoma.

This council is responsible for electing the five officers of the Business Committee – the chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer and one councilman. These officers are elected to two year terms.

The tribe features about 2,600 members, about 1,900 of whom live in Oklahoma.

Election information

Chairman: Darwin Kaskaske
Vice-Chairman: Everett Suke
Date of next election: June 7, 2023
Elections website: click here

Contact information

Address: 105365 S. HWY 102, McLoud, OK 74851
Phone: 405-964-4227
Website: kickapootribeofoklahoma.com

The Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma is run by a chairman, an assistant chairman and seven tribal legislators, each representing one of the tribe’s legislative districts. Kiowa elections are overseen by a four-member election commission.

Election information

Chairman: Lawrence Spottedbird
Vice Chairman: Jacob Tsatigh
Date of next election: May 4, 2024
Election Commission website: click here

Contact information

Address: PO Box 369, Carnegie, OK 73015
Phone: 580-654-2300
Website: kiowatribe.org

The Miami Nation is governed by the tribe’s Business Committee, which is made up of the chief, second chief, secretary-treasurer and two councilpersons. All of these officers are elected to three-year terms.

The officers are responsible for appointing subordinate committees and representatives, enacting ordinances and resolutions, employing legal council, transacting business and speaking and acting on behalf of the tribe.

The tribe’s judicial branch includes a district court and an appellate court. The Miami Nation features about 7,000 citizens, with about 800 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Douglas G. Lankford
Second Chief: Dustin Olds
Date of next election: June 24, 2023

Contact information

Address: 3410 P. Street, Miami, OK 74354
Phone: 918-541-1300
Website: miamination.com

The Modoc Nation consists of descendants of Modocs who were removed to what is now Ottawa County in Oklahoma following the Modoc War, an armed conflict with the U.S. military in northern California in 1872 and 1873. Historically, the tribe’s ancestral home spanned more than 5,000 square miles along the California and Oregon border. Modoc Nation citizens share common ancestry with the Klamath Tribes in Oregon.

Bill Follis served as the nation’s chief from 1973 to 2022, helping secure federal recognition in 1978 and leading several economic development efforts that have financed land purchases in northern California.

There are five elected officials in the Modoc Nation’s government: the chief, the second chief, the secretary/treasurer and two council members. Elections are held every four years.

Following a 2022 audit of tribal citizenship tied to descendancy from the 1878 Quapaw Agency Modoc Census of Subsistence and Ration, the Modoc Nation released a list showing only 210 enrolled members as of Aug. 4, 2022.

Election information

Chief: Robert Burkybile III
Second Chief: Gina McGaughey
Date of next election: 2026

Contact information

Address: 22 N. Eight Tribes Trail, Miami, OK 74354
Phone: 918-542-1190
Website: modocnation.com
NonDoc story tag: /tag/Modoc-Nation/

The Muscogee Nation’s government is composed of an executive branch, a legislative body and a tribal court system.

The executive branch is made up of the principal chief and the second chief (both of whom are elected to four-year terms) and their cabinet. Those executives oversee government services.

The legislative body, called the National Council, is made up of 16 elected representatives. In the judicial branch, Supreme Court justices are appointed by the principal chief and confirmed by the National Council. The Muscogee Nation has a population of about 97,000.

In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed in McGirt v. Oklahoma that the Muscogee Nation’s reservation had never been disestablished, meaning its territory qualifies as “Indian Country” under 18 U.S.C. 1151a.

Election information

Principal Chief: David Hill
Second Chief: Del Beaver
Date of next election: Sept. 16, 2023
Election Board: Website

Government information

More information

Address: Hwy 75 & Loop 56, Okmulgee, OK 74447
Phone: 918-732-7600
Website: www.muscogeenation.com
Media: Mvskoke Media
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/muscogee-nation

The government of the Osage Nation consists of three branches. An executive branch, headed by a principal chief and an assistant principal chief, oversees the execution of laws created by the nation’s legislative branch.

That legislative branch includes the Osage Nation Congress, made up of 12 representatives elected at large (not to represent specific districts). The Osage Nation’s Trial Court and Supreme Court make up the nation’s judicial branch.

The Osage Nation has a population of about 24,000 citizens with about 6,800 living in Oklahoma.

Election information

Principal Chief: Geoffrey Standing Bear
Assistant Principal Chief: R.J. Walker
Date of next election: June 3, 2024

Government details

Contact information

Address: 1449 Main Street, Pawhuska, OK 74056
Phone: 918-287-5555
Website: osagenation-nsn.gov
Media: Osage News
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/osage-nation

The Tribal Council is the elected government body of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, and the council’s primary duties are to enforce tribal laws and policy as well as make decisions regarding the tribe’s budget and investments.

The Tribal Council’s seven officials (the chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer and three additional council members) all serve three-year staggered terms. The Otoe-Missouria Tribe has a population of about 3,100 citizens.

Election information

Chairman: John Shotton
Vice Chairman: Ted Grant
Date of next election: Nov. 2, 2024
Election Board website: click here

Contact information

Address: 8151 Hwy 177, Red Rock, OK 74651
Phone: 877-692-6863
Website: omtribe.org

The Ottawa Tribe’s Business Council is its main governing body. It is made up of a chief, a second chief, a secretary/treasurer and two council members. These officials are responsible for performing business transactions and otherwise speaking and acting on behalf of the tribe.

Grievances between tribal members relating to the conduct of tribal officials are handled by the five members of the Grievance Committee, who are also popularly elected. This committee also serves to protect the rights of tribal members and handles disputes of any provision of the Ottawa Constitution or resolution of the Business Committee.

The Ottawa Tribe’s population is about 2,500 with about 700 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Ethel Cook
Second Chief: Kalisha Burtrum
Date of next election: May 4, 2024
Election information website: click here

Contact information

Address: 13 S. 69 A, Miami, OK 74354
Phone: 918-540-1536
Website: ottawatribe.net

The Business Council is the supreme governing body of the Pawnee Nation. It is composed of eight elected officials, including the tribe’s president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and four additional council members. All members are elected to four-year staggered terms.

The Pawnee Nation’s population is about 3,200 citizens.

Election information

President: Misty Nuttle
Vice President: Jordan Kanuho
Date of next election: May 3, 2025

Contact information

Address: 881 Little Dee Dr., Pawnee, OK  74058
Phone: 918-762-3621
Website: pawneenation.org

The Peoria Tribe is governed by a seven-member Business Council, which consists of the tribe’s chief, second chief, secretary, treasurer and three councilmen. These officials serve four-year terms.

The Peoria Tribe has a population of about 2,900 people, about 800 of whom live within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Craig Harper
Second Chief: Rosanna Dobbs
Date of next election: March 2, 2024

Contact information

Address: 118 S. Eight Tribes Trail, Miami, OK 74354
Phone: 918-540-2535
Website: peoriatribe.com

The governing body of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma is a seven-member Business Committee elected by tribal members every four years.

The Business Committee then selects from its own membership a chairman and a vice chairman and from within or outside of its membership a secretary/treasurer. The tribe features a district court.

The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma has a population of about 3,500 people.

Election information

Chairman: Oliver Little Cook
Vice-Chairman: Robert Collins
Date of next election: March 16, 2024

Contact information

Address: 20 White Eagle Drive, Ponca City, OK 74601
Phone: 580-762-8104
Website: ponca.com

The Quapaw Nation is governed by a Business Committee composed of seven members, each serving a two-year staggered term.

The tribe’s chairman, vice chairman and secretary/treasurer all sit on the Business Committee along with four other elected council members.

The tribe features a population of about 3,200, with about 900 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chairman: Vacant
Vice-Chairwoman: Callie Bowden
Date of next election: July 8, 2023
Election Information website: click here

Government details

More information

Address: 5681 South 630 Road, Quapaw, OK 74363
Phone: 918-542-1853
Websitequapawtribe.com
MediaThe Quapaw Post
NonDoc articles: www.nondoc.com/tag/quapaw-tribe

The Sac and Fox Nation is governed by a Business Committee consisting of the principal chief, second chief, secretary, treasurer and one council member.

The principal chief, second chief and council member are elected to four-year terms, and the secretary and treasurer are elected to two-year terms.

The Sac and Fox Nation has a population of about 4,000, about 2,600 of whom live within Oklahoma.

Election information

Principal Chief: Don Abney
Second Chief: Angela Gasper
Date of next election: July 22, 2023

Contact information

Address: 920883 S. Hwy 99, Bldg A, Stroud, OK 74079
Phone: 918-968-3526
Website: sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

The executive duties of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma are carried out by the tribe’s chief and assistant chief. The legislative duties are handled by a 28-member General Council of elected representatives and their secretary. The tribe consists of 14 bands, each of which elects two council representatives.

The chief oversees meetings of the General Council but does not vote in General Council meetings except in the case of a tie.

The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma has about 18,800 enrolled citizens, about 13,500 of whom live in Oklahoma. The nation’s boundaries overlap with Seminole County, and in 2020 a U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to affirmation that Congress had never disestablished the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma’s reservation.

Election information

Chief: Lewis Johnson
Assistant Chief: Brian Thomas Palmer
Date of next election: 2025
Election Board: Website

Government information

More information

Address: 36645 US-270, Wewoka, OK 74884
Phone: 405-257-7200
Website: www.sno-nsn.gov
NonDoc articles: NonDoc.com/tag/seminole-nation/

The Seneca-Cayuga Nation is governed by a seven-member Business Committee composed of the tribe’s chief, second chief, secretary/treasurer and four other popularly elected councilpersons. Elections are held on the first Saturday in June in even-numbered years.

The tribe has about 5,000 citizens, with about 1,200 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Charles Diebold
Second Chief: Curt Lawrence
Date of next election: June 1, 2024

Contact information

Address: 23701 S. 655 Rd, Grove, OK 74344
Phone: 918-787-5452
Website: sctribe.com

The Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma features a Tribal Council composed of all enrolled members of the tribe. The council elects a chief and second chief to four-year terms, as well as a secretary and treasurer and seven other members of a Business Council. Elections are held annually.

The tribe’s population is about 10,000, with about 1,100 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Benjamin Barnes
Second Chief: Roy Baldridge
Date of next election: Sept. 16, 2023

Contact information

Address: 29 S Hwy 69A, Miami, OK 74354
Phone: 918-542-2441
Website: shawnee-tribe.com

The Thlopthlocco Tribal Town is governed by its Business Committee, which is made up of five elected officials and five appointed advisors.

The five elected officials, which include the Town King, two warriors, a secretary and a treasurer, serve four-year terms. These elected officials appoint the members of the Advisory Council. The Town King is responsible for carrying out the orders of the Business Committee.

The Thlopthlocco Tribal Town has over 1,000 members, with about 700 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

Town King: Ryan Morrow
Date of next election: Jan. 30, 2027

Contact information

Address: 109009 N. 3830 Rd., Okemah, OK 74859
Phone: 918-560-6198
Website: www.tttown.org

There are three elected officials making up the Tonkawa Tribe’s supreme governing body — the president, the vice president and the secretary-treasurer. Collectively, these officers are called the Business Committee. All officers are elected to four-year terms.

The Tonkawa Tribe has about 700 members.

Election information

President: Russell Martin
Vice President: Patrick Waldroup
Date of next election: April 7, 2025

Contact information

Address: 1 Rush Buffalo Road, Tonkawa, OK 74653
Phone: 580-628-2561
Website: tonkawatribe.com

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma is governed by a 13-member Tribal Council.

Four officers sit on the council, including the chief, the assistant chief, the treasurer and the secretary. These officers serve four-year terms. The council’s remaining nine members are district representatives elected to two-year terms. Meetings of the Tribal Council have been live streamed on the tribe’s website since 2018.

The United Keetoowah Band has about 14,000 enrolled tribal citizens. Citizenship is limited to individuals who are at least one-fourth Cherokee.

Election information

Chief: Joe Bunch
Assistant Chief: Jeff Wacoche
Date of next election: Nov. 4, 2024
Election Board website: click here

Contact information

Address: 18300 W. Keetoowah Circle, Tahlequah, OK 74464
Phone: 918-871-2800
Website: https://www.ukb-nsn.gov/

Seven officers are elected by the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes’ Tribal Council, which is made up of every tribal member over the age of 18.

These seven positions — which include the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and three councilpersons — are all elected to four-year terms. Collectively, they are known as the Executive Committee.

The Wichita and Affiliated Tribes’ population is about 3,700, with about 2,000 living within Oklahoma.

Election information

President: Terri Parton
Vice President: Jarrod Prince
Date of next election: July 20, 2024
Election Procedures website: click here

Contact information

Address: PO Box 729 1 1/4 Miles North on Hwy 281, Anadarko, OK 73005
Phone: 405-247-2425
Website: wichitatribe.com

The Wyandotte Nation is governed by a six-member Board of Directors, which features the tribe’s chief, second chief and four councilmembers.

This council is responsible for enacting laws, which are then carried out by the chief in exercising the office’s executive power. The council’s offices are elected to two-year staggered terms. The nation also has a Supreme Court of elected justices who serve four-year terms.

The Wyandotte Nation has about 6,900 enrolled citizens, with about 1,200 living in Oklahoma.

Election information

Chief: Billy Friend
Second Chief: Norman Hildebrand, Jr.
Date of next election: Sept. 13, 2025

Contact information

Address: 64700 E. Highway 60, Wyandotte, OK 74370
Phone: 918-678-2297
Website: www.wyandotte-nation.org

Oklahoma tribal nations

How can I support journalism?

Join the Writers’ Fund!

Make contributions to NonDoc


Choose Your Level



… or make a one-time contribution