BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
EDITOR
TAHLEQUAH – United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians members who wish to run on November’s District Representative Election ballot must declare their candidacy with the UKB Election Board beginning August 1 and no later than August 14 at 6 p.m.
Filing must be done at the UKB Election Board offices located at 18529 W. Keetoowah Circle on a business day by a candidate that is currently an exclusive UKB member. Candidates must be a resident of the district in which they are running and be 21 years old or have turned 21 at least 12 months prior to filing.
A Keetoowah tribal identification card is required to file, as well as payment of a $250 filing fee. The fee must be in the form of a cashier’s check made out directly to UKB and will be used to help complete a candidate’s background check with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
The background check request will be hand-carried to the OSBI offices in Oklahoma City to ensure no tampering of information.
The UKB Election Board will inform members of the official candidates immediately after all background checks are complete.
There is no specified time frame that candidates can begin campaigning once approved.
Voting day will take place on November 5 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If there is a runoff, voting will take place on December 3.
Voting locations for each district have yet to be determined, but the UKB Election Board will make the information public once it is available and encouraged members to vote come November.
“It’s a democracy, a privilege to have a voice with your opinion in running of your government,” said a spokeswoman with the UKB Election Board. “Win, lose or draw you have an opinion. Every vote counts in every district even if it’s a few votes. It’s a choice between the winner or loser, that’s why it is very important to get out and vote.”
