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Federal court won't halt Cherokee election
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Filed Under: Law

A federal judge on Wednesday refused to halt the Cherokee Nation's upcoming election.

The Cherokee Freedmen sought an injunction to halt the June 23 vote. Although they will be able to vote, they said they aren't allowed the right to run for office.

The tribe has temporarily reinstated the Freedmen to citizenship after kicking them out in March. It's not clear what will happen to them after the election.

Principal Chief Chad Smith, who advocated for the removal of the Freedmen, is seeking his third term in office. His main opponent is Stacy Leeds, a former tribal justice who wrote the decision that said the Freedmen were entitled to citizenship.

Also at issue in the election is a change to the constitution to remove federal oversight. The Bureau of Indian Affairs rejected a similar amendment in 2003, saying the Freedmen were denied a vote.

Get the Story:
Feds won’t stop Cherokee election (The Muskogee Phoenix 6/14)
Judge tosses motion to stop Cherokee Nation's general election (AP 6/13)
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BIA Letters:
May 21, 2007 | March 28, 2007 | August 30, 2006

Sovereign Immunity Court Decision:
Vann v. Kempthorne (December 19, 2006)

Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal Decision in Freedmen Case:
Allen v. Cherokee Nation (March 7, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Cherokee Nation - http://www.cherokee.org
Freedmen Of The Five Civilized Tribes - http://www.freedmen5tribes.com
Freedmen Conference - http://www.freedmenconference.com

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