Cherokee Nation, country’s most populous tribe, reelects Chuck Hoskin Jr. as chief
OKLAHOMA CITY — Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. has won reelection to another four-year term as leader of the most populous Native American tribe in the U.S.
Hoskin, a 48-year-old attorney, won nearly 63% of the vote in the four-way race for chief, a position similar to the governor of a state, according to results certified Monday by the tribe’s Election Commission. Hoskin’s running mate, Bryan Warner, won reelection as deputy chief with about 62% of the vote. Both needed to secure more than 50% to avoid a runoff.
“Today, we celebrate not only a victory but a renewal of our shared commitment to the principles that have guided our nation for centuries,” Hoskin and Warner said in a statement. “Together, we will confront the challenges that lie ahead, united in our determination to uplift and empower every member of our Cherokee family.”
Hoskin ran on a platform of protecting tribal sovereignty, investing in improved health and wellness for tribal citizens and funding efforts to protect its language.
Oklahoma’s Cherokee Nation kicks off a $1-million film incentive program in March to support Indigenous filmmakers and diversify its economy.
During Hoskin’s first four years in office, the Cherokee Nation has seen its tribal budget more than triple with the help of an infusion of federal funding, and its sprawling reservation in northeast Oklahoma was upheld in a landmark Supreme Court decision on tribal sovereignty. The nation has also seen its effort to have a tribal delegate seated in Congress pick up steam.
Three of the eight tribal council races on the ballot in Saturday’s election will head to a runoff in July. Those elected to a seat on the 17-member council without a runoff are Julia Coates, Joe Deere, Kevin Easley Jr., Daryl Legg and Dora Patzkowski.
Based in Tahlequah, Okla., the Cherokee Nation has a population that has risen in recent years to more than 450,000 members. It is one of 39 federally recognized tribes with headquarters in a state once known as Indian Territory, where Indigenous people were forced to relocate in the 1800s as European settlers expanded westward.
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