Chief Batton, thank you for providing me an open invitation via social media to offer my thoughts on what I see as a corrupt election process and system within our tribe. Democracy requires fairness and in the Choctaw Nation, all tribal chief and tribal council candidates historically had access to the names and addresses of registered voters of the Choctaw Nation. This was true in the 1971, 1975, 1978, 1979 and 1983 tribal chief’s elections. [Exhibit 1, tinyurl/Exhbit-1] The 1981 “Election Procedures and Regulations of the Choctaw Nation, Article X, Section 2,” provided that the current names and address of all qualified voters were part of the filing process and were given to a candidate on the day of filing and from time to time as requested by candidates. [Footnote 1, ttp://tinyurl/km2vunq] [Exhibit 2, tinyurl/oj9aooc] For the past thirty-plus years Chief Hollis Roberts, Chief Greg Pyle, and those tribal council candidates they supported, have used the voter registration list for their own private political purposes, [Exhibit 3, tinyurl/oup6jms] while denying access to other Choctaws that are seeking tribal offices. This abuse has resulted in very few new faces on our council, and even the three councilmen who have served less than ten years are easily identifiable as long standing Choctaw Nation employees and/or intensely loyal supporters of both Chief Roberts and Chief Pyle. Without making the names and addresses of tribal voters available to all candidates, how do the Choctaw candidates present their education, experience, goals and visions for our tribe? Just as you presented yourself and your family to our tribe at Tʋska homma, allow our Choctaw female and male candidates to present themselves to our tribe through the use of the tribal newspaper, voter registration list (including both voter’s names and addresses) with the right to campaign on tribal property, including the Community Centers except on election day as outlined in the tribes election regulations. [Footnote 2, tinyurl/Footnote-2] The election process itself has raised issues of vote tampering and fraud, especially in the area of absentee ballots. Allegations of multiple incidents of deceased tribal members voting, as well as voters attempting to cast ballots at the polls and who have been informed that they have already voted absentee, yet who had never received an absentee ballot, thus preventing them from voting. It was noted in the 1991 and 1995 election that sealed absentee ballots could be held up to the light and the voter’s choice of candidates read by tribal election officials charged with collecting those ballots and placing them in a locked box in the basement of tribal headquarters. Spoiled and undeliverable ballots were also received by tribal personnel, raising the possibility of vote tampering and ballot manipulation by employees who owed their loyalty and position to the then-current chief. The Choctaw Nation responded to these allegations by hiring an outside agency to conduct the mailing and counting of all ballots for elected office in 1995. The problem was that absentee ballots, as well as spoiled and returned absentee ballots were still handed by tribal election officials instead of the outside company, and the incidents of voting fraud continued. The importance of the insecure nature of how absentee ballots were handled is compounded by the fact that by 1995 the majority of Choctaw electors voted by absentee ballot. The obvious fix of having the outside company handle the reception of these ballots was unexplainably ignored. If true election reform is the goal of this administration, the sanctity of the ballot must be guaranteed by having a respected and competent outside company handle the mailing, collection and accounting for all absentee ballots as well as oversee balloting inside the Nation. Democratic elections also require equal access to the electorate through the media. The Biskinik has limited the voice of candidates for office by refusing to print letters from candidates on issues of concern to the Choctaw people except in a very limited and sporadic manner. I challenge you, Chief Batton, to find any tribe out of the more than 500 plus federally recognized tribes, or 39 in the state of Oklahoma that will not allow their tribal newspapers to publish the announcements of tribal candidates for office. How do Choctaw men who have lived lives respecting their wives, mothers and sisters get to have their background presented to the Choctaw voters with out publishing their qualifications and platform in our tribal newspaper, the Biskinik? [Footnote 3, tinyurl/Footnote-3] The restrictions the Choctaw Nation puts on any candidates for office on campaigning on tribal property is based on Choctaw Nation Council Bill 96-113, [Exhibit 4, tinyurl/Exhibit-4] which was admitted by Choctaw Nation Prosecutor Robert L. Rabon to be invalid in his Motions to Dismiss criminal charges against myself and several other Choctaw as far back as February, 1997. [Exhibit 5, tinyurl/Exhibit-5] Yet, as recent as our 2014 Labor Day Weekend, the tribe continues to promote this law to its citizens thereby intimidating them into believing that it is still a valid law. [Exhibit 6, tinyurl/nhcx9p4] Please revisit this and allow, without interference, our citizens to campaign or exchange their ideas in a civilized manner with other Choctaws wishing to do so, as was our right. As you know the Choctaw Nation has allowed federal, state and local candidates for office use our community centers for their campaigning. I ask that you end this third world practice of not allowing the Choctaws to freely use our community centers for the same exchange of ideals. Individual behavior can be regulated if they are not civil just as is done by the state, local and federal government. All of these practices have virtually eliminated women from the council. This situation can’t be explained unless you understand the antipathy shown towards our Choctaw women by the last two Chiefs. Our sisters have been disrespected and treated like possessions even to the point of a criminal conviction of one of the Chiefs. [Exhibit 7, tinyurl/Exhibit-7] As you know Choctaw women have always played an important role in our tribe’s history. In your State of the Nation Address you have recognized Choctaw women as being the core of the family and the tribe,” it is my hope that through your future actions, your words will ring true. Restore fairness and I am confident you will demonstrate the integrity as a leader that has been lacking in previous administrations.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 03:47:10 +0000
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