Cherokee File for June 3 Election; District 5 on the Ballot

David Thornton

Three Cherokees have filed to fill the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council seat for District 5, which is in western Sequoyah County.

The post is currently held by David Thornton, who is term limited.

Those seeking the post are Uriah Grass, Dink Scott and E.O. Smith.

Prospective candidates filed their declarations of candidacy with the Cherokee Nation Election Commission in Tahlequah.

The Cherokee Nation general election is June 3. The election commission reports 35 Cherokee citizens have filed for the nine tribal council seats available. The complete list follows.

In Dist. 2, Freddie Ferrell, Johnny Hammer, Leslie Hannah and Claude Stover filed to try and unseat incumbent Joe Byrd.

In Dist. 4, Sarah Cowett, Mike Dobbins, Bo Highers, Teasie McCrary Jr. and Linda Sacks filed. One of them will fill the spot currently held by term-limited Tribal Councilor Don Garvin.

In Dist. 5, Uriah Grass, Dink Scott and E.O. Smith filed to fill the seat held by term-limited Tribal Councilor David Thornton.

In Dist. 7, incumbent Frankie Hargis will face David Comingdeer, Clayton Harrington and Virginia Holloway.

In Dist. 9, Anthony Cochran, Edward Crawford, Clifton Hughes and Mike Shambaugh filed to fill the seat held by term-limited Tribal Councilor Curtis Snell.

In Dist. 10, incumbent Harley Buzzard will face Brian Hartley and Sharilyn Van House.

In Dist. 11, Randy White will face incumbent Victoria Vazquez.

In Dist. 15, incumbent Janees Taylor will face Michelle Scarborough.

For the open At-Large seat, Rockne Miller, Jay Neugin, Robin Mayes, Shane Jett, Mary Baker Shaw, Herbert Gootee and Linda Leaf Bolin will face each other to replace term-limited Tribal Councilor Jack Baker.

Voter registration ends on March 31 and absentee ballot requests must be submitted by April 21.

To view the 2017 election calendar, visit www.cherokee.org. For more information contact the Election Services office at 918-458-5899 or email election-commmission@cherokee.org.

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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