Election results to be certified on July 21

SAULT STE. MARIE - On Friday, July 15, the Sault Tribe Court of Appeals issued its decision in the appeal filed by tribal member Isaac McKechnie challenging the recent general election. The Court unanimously rejected McKechnie's challenge and affirmed the June 29 decision of the Election Committee.

McKechnie argued that the Election Committee violated his rights by picking up the ballots from the Sault Ste. Marie Post Office at 4:30 p.m. on election day rather than at the customary 5:00 p.m. The Court found that, because the Post Office stops processing election mail at 2:00 p.m. each day, no ballots would have been processed into the Election Committee's Post Office Box after 2:00 p.m. Thus, the committee did not violate the Election Code by picking up the box at 4:30 p.m. instead of at 5:00 p.m., because the Post Office would not have processed any additional ballots into the box during that time period.

As a result of the Court's decision, all pending election contests are now finally resolved. The Sault Tribe Board of Directors is scheduled to resume its consideration of the election on Thursday, July 21, at 5:00 p.m. at the Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie. At that time, the Election Committee will certify the election results and the newly elected officials will be formally sworn into office. All tribal members are invited to attend this meeting and witness the swearing in ceremony.