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The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community will hold its annual primary Saturday.
This year’s election will take place only in the Baraga District. The L’Anse District doesn’t have enough Tribal Council candidates to require a vote.
Baraga District candidates include incumbents Doreen Blaker and Robert D. “R.D.” Curtis, Jr., along with challengers Donald L. Chosa, Larry Denomie, III, and Sue Ellen “Suzie” Elmblad.
The top four vote-getters will advance to the general election in December.
The election is proceeding, despite a controversy.
Last year, tribal voters approved a measure supporting term limits.
Despite that mandate, a constitutional amendment which would allow council members to serve no more than four, three-year terms, was recently rejected by the Tribal Council.
In a release sent to Keweenaw Report, council members maintained that there was an understanding that the new limits would apply beginning with the adoption of the amendment. That would allow sitting council members to serve another 12 years before being term-limited.
Instead, the language included all time served, which would force some council members out of their seats at the end of their current terms.
See their full release here.
