BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
EDITOR
TAHLEQUAH - The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Election Board has declared Sharon Benoit the winner of the Nov. 5 Goingsnake District midterm election.
Benoit received 43 votes for 58.90 percent of the vote, followed by William Christie with 30 votes and 41.10 percent of the vote.
The results were expected to be officially certified on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
“I am very excited about it,” said Benoit. “I knew that there is a lot going on. Sometimes I think that I thrive on challenges. I don’t do it by myself. I really depend on the Lord for everything and I am not just saying that. I learned early on in life that if there’s was something that I didn’t understand, I wouldn’t get frustrated. I would just pray about it and somehow God would always figure it out how to fix it.”
Regardless of the election’s outcome, Benoit always had plans to stay involved with her fellow Keetoowahs.
“Someone called me and asked me, ‘have you thought of the possibility that you might lose?’ I said, ‘yes I have, but I will continue doing what I do and that is taking care of people in my community,’’” she said.
Benoit said she reached her voters by mainly going door-to-door and visiting with them about their needs.
“During that time, I discovered so many needs and they don’t complain to anybody about these things. Some of them were the same thing, different people have the same problem,” she said. “Anytime someone is in need, I try to take care of it. I do see a lot of problems and I also see a lot of challenges. Hopefully we get those things worked out. One of the things I am excited about is teamwork. I think that is so important to work as a team and I think that can happen.”
Benoit also took time to recognize voters and several individuals who assisted her with the campaign.
“I would like to thank the voters. I would also like to thank all the people that helped,” she said. “My family worked tirelessly. My brother and my two daughters. The people that donated money. Even friends helped. I have friend that helped and he lives in California. Another one lives in the state of Kansas and he donated money.”
Benoit will be sworn into office during the regular monthly tribal council meeting to be held the first Saturday of January 2019.
