The Shawnee Tribe’s 2024 General Council & Election Weekend included a hawikeepicika kiskotaawe (“ribbon-cutting”) and open house for the new Emma “Mock” Donaldson saawanwaatoweewika (“language house”), a community dinner and stomp dance, as well as the annual meeting of the Shawnee Tribal Council and Business Council election. Citizens had the opportunity to meet tribal service programs & administrative staff, collect raffle prizes, and hear reports on the past twelve months of happenings of the tribe.
2024 Election
The absentee voting process began in April and closed on Thursday, September 19. Early in-person voting took place on Friday, September 20 from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and the polls were open on election day from 8:00 to 11:00 AM. Citizens who voted in person received a “niila nikitateniwe (I Voted)” sticker.
Business Council Election results were announced during the tribal council meeting by Election Committee Chairperson, Cindy Witherspoon. The results were uncontested. They are posted at the Shawnee governmental buildings for thirty days and will be permanently filed in the Shawnee Tribal Court Clerk’s office. A copy of the Certified Consolidated Election Return has been mailed to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Official Election Results
- Secretary (4-year term)
- Jana Edwards-Johnson — 26%
- Carolyn Foster (I) — 74%
- Business Council Seat 3 (4-year term)
- Morris Bluejacket — 25%
- Drew Dixon — 35%
- Gregory Jones — 17%
- Elena Staubus — 23%
- The following two races were unopposed. At the conclusion of the candidate filing period, these individuals were declared the winners and did not appear on the ballot.
- Second Chief, 1-year term — Roy Baldridge (I)
- Business Council Seat 4, 4-year term — Corey Winesburg (I)
Looking Ahead
- The 2025 Annual General Council Meeting and Business Council Election is set for next September 19-20 at the Craig County Fairgrounds & Community Center, Vinita, OK.
- The candidate filing period for the 2025 Business Council Election will run from May 5 to June 20.
A special thank you goes out to the Election Committee for their hard work, and to our cooks who provided a delicious meal on Friday evening before the Stomp Dance, Bowlin’s BBQ for catering lunch after the tribal council meeting on Saturday, and our tribal staff for all their work setting up and breaking down the event venues. —niyaawe!