Several tribal nations headquartered in Oklahoma are facing elections on their ballots this year.
In Pawhuska, the Osage Nation’s general election is on the horizon after the Feb. 23 primary propelled Joe Tillman and Scott BigHorse into a matchup for principal chief.
Other tribes have kept voters on their toes. The Peoria Tribe narrowly reelected Chief Rosanna Dobbs and installed two new grievance committee members, while the Ponca Tribe’s March 21 election features nine candidates vying for three seats, with legal wrangling sidelining one incumbent.
Learn more about those elections and other Indian Country developments below.
Cherokee Nation citizen Stacy Leeds appointed TU president
Former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice Stacy Leeds is set to become the 22nd president of the University of Tulsa starting July 1, according to the Tulsa World.
Leeds, a 1997 graduate of the University of Tulsa College of Law, would be the first Indigenous woman to lead the university, which was initially founded as the “Presbyterian School for Indian Girls” in 1882.
“The priority moving forward is our promise to our people: students, alumni, faculty, staff and community. By providing selfless mentorship and unwavering support, we will give our students the foundation to expand their minds and the confidence to push their boundaries. We will empower our graduates to pursue a mission that truly matters both to them and the world around them,” Leeds said in a press release. “Most prosperous, innovative and resilient cities rely on an equally vibrant university in their midst. UTulsa will fulfill that destiny.”
Leeds most recently served as the dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in Arizona. She previously served on the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court from 2002 to 2006 and on the Cherokee Nation Gaming Commission from 2013 to 2016.
Marcia MacLeod, chairwoman of the university’s 21-member board of trustees, praised Leeds’ appointment.
“Stacy Leeds represents the absolute best of our history and our future,” MacLeod said. “She returns to her alma mater as a trailblazer, but equally as a grounded, experienced leader who will steward this university with exceptional care. The board has absolute confidence in her ability to conscientiously guide our institution while accelerating our momentum.”
Rick Dickson has served as the interim president since former Congressman Brad Carson stepped down last year.
Osage elections: Tillman, BigHorse advance in chief race; Shaw, Johnson face off for assistant
PAWHUSKA — Four candidates advanced from the Feb. 23 Osage Nation primary election and will continue their campaigns for principal chief and assistant principal chief ahead of the June 1 general election.
Osage Congressman Joe Tillman led in the chief election with 850 votes (44 percent) and will square off with fellow Congressman Scott BigHorse (754 votes, 39 percent) on the June 1 ballot. Attorney Amanda GoodEagle received 330 votes (17 percent) and failed to make the runoff.
In the assistant principal chief election, Hominy Osage Casino manager John Shaw and former Osage Nation human resources director Scott Johnson advanced to the general. Shaw led with 697 votes (36.3 percent), while Johnson garnered 651 votes (33.9 percent). Myron Red Eagle narrowly missed the runoff, receiving 575 votes (29.9 percent).
With cold temperatures throughout the Feb. 23 primary election in Pawhuska, only Shaw and Red Eagle set up Election Day camps, an Osage tradition that allows voters to meet with candidates before casting their ballots. Tillman had registered for a camp site but did not set one up on Election Day.
The Osage Nation will vote again June 1 in the nation’s general election. The office of principal chief, assistant principal chief and six Osage Congress seats will be on the ballot for all Osage citizens. Osage shareholders — or Osage citizens who also own an Osage headright — will also vote for the eight members of the Osage Minerals Council.
Peoria Tribe reelects Dobbs by 2 votes
The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma narrowly reelected Chief Rosanna Dobbs on March 7 election. Dobbs, who was running for her first full term in office after winning a special election last year, received 97 votes (50.5 percent) over the tribe’s former director of cultural preservation Charla EchoHawk 95 votes (49.5 percent). Three votes were deemed “invalid,” according to the posted results.
Dobbs previously served as the tribe’s second chief and took office after the removal of former Chief Craig Harper in January 2025.
Bureau of Indian Affairs employee Sammy Beets also filed to appear on the chief ballot but was not included in election results.
Licensed professional counselor Dakota Sixkiller and preschool teacher Sarah Randolph won the two open seats on the Peoria Tribe Grievance Committee. Sixkiller led with 104 votes (26.6 percent) while Randolph was close being with 102 votes (26.2 percent). James Beets placed third with 89 votes (22.8 percent), while Patrick Morris garnered 82 votes (21 percent).
Mary Lembcke Davey, an incumbent member of the committee, also filed to appear on the ballot, but was not included in election results.
Carla Carney barred from Ponca Tribe Business Committee election
Nine candidates are competing for three seats on the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma Business Committee in an election set for March 21. All nine candidates will appear on the same ballot, with the three top voter earners winning election to the committee. With two incumbents not running for reelection, the race will new faces elected into Ponca government.
One incumbent, Carla Carney, initially filed for reelection, but was struck from the ballot after some litigation. Incumbent committee member Judi White is voluntarily retiring.
Carney has been on the outs with the rest of the committee since being charged in tribal court in 2024, with litigation over her seat’s status leading her to file for another seat while still in office. She narrowly lost in the August election.
With Carney’s seat officially up for reelection, she filed to run, but her candidacy was denied by the Ponca Election Board for failing to submit a timely annual audit while serving as the tribe’s secretary-treasurer in 2020, 2021 and 2022. The Ponca Constitution bars candidates from running for office again if they served as chairman, vice chairman or secretary-treasurer in a year an audit was untimely.
Carney sued in tribal court to be listed on the ballot, arguing delays in the audits from before she took office prevented the timely completion of subsequent audits and that the constitutional amendment was not in effect for those years. However, Judge Charles Tripp upheld the board’s decision.
The other nine candidates competing for the three seats include:
- Bobby Rhodd Sr., maintenance director for the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and candidate for office in 2024;
- Kayla Noear, tribal youth program director for the tribe;
- Amos Simpson, utility director for the tribe, amateur Arc Raiders player and candidate for office in 2024;
- Deborah Margerum, an incumbent member of the business committee;
- Chris Littlecook, member of the Ponca Enterprise Gaming board and former Ponca City Public Schools board member;
- Brandon Kemble, pastor for the Ponca Indian Baptist Church;
- Johnnie Mendoza, pharmacy technician and sister on Ponca Chairman Early “Trey” Howe III;
- Christine Callshim, a candidate for office in 2024; and
- Arthur Blueback, utilities technician for the tribe.
Elizabeth Poteete arraigned, to hire attorney
TAHLEQUAH — Elizabeth Poteete made her first court appearance by telephone in Cherokee Nation District Court on March 3, entering an initial plea of not guilty for the killing of her husband. District Judge Nicholas Goodwin presided over the hearing, read Poteete the charges and set her next court date for April 2.
Poteete is charged with the murder of her husband, former Cherokee Nation tribal councilor and Judge Troy Poteete. She is currently being held without bond at the Sequoyah County Jail.
In an affidavit, Cherokee Nation Deputy Marshall Patrick Hunter described Elizabeth Poteete’s initial statements about the shooting, although he offered no assessment of their factuality, likely owing to an earlier 911 call to she made the same night where responders reported she was “having a mental episode.”
“Poteete stated she was afraid for her life after her husband, T.P, stated his girlfriend and another individual were going to come shoot her. Poteete said that prior to the shooting she retrieved a handgun from a filing cabinet in their residence and stood approximately four to five feet away from T.P, who was sitting in his chair,” Hunter wrote. “T.P had his CPAP machine on and at first Poteete stated T.P. was snoring but then Poteete stated she could not recall if in fact he was snoring. Poteete stated she shot him and saw him go back in the chair. Poteete was unsure how many times she shot but believed it was multiple times. Poteete then said she called 911 and placed the handgun on the floor under the couch in the residence.”
Initial appearances are largely procedural, and Poteete’s mainly consisted of Goodwin asking her if she would hire an attorney or needed one provided for her. Poteete first told the court she was not sure what her financial situation was.
“I don’t know how much money my husband had,” Poteete said before indicating she would hire an attorney.
If convicted of one count of first-degree murder in Cherokee court, Poteete faces a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment and a $15,000 fine under Cherokee law. Federal statute limits tribal court prison sentences at three years per count, a cap that some political leaders believe Congress should increase.
Choctaw Nation extends pair of district judges
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Tribal Council recently reappointed two district court judges.
Gary Batton submitted letters recommending the reappointment of Judge Amy Pierce and Judge Mark Morrison for the council’s consideration during its Feb. 14 regular meeting.
The tribe appointed Pierce as its first full-time district judge in 2022. Before taking the bench, she practiced as a partner at Hampton Barghols Pierce, PLLC in Oklahoma City. She earned her law degree from Oklahoma City University after completing her bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma State University.
“Judge Pierce has demonstrated exemplary service and unwavering commitment to the Choctaw Nation and its members,” Batton wrote in his letter. “Her leadership, integrity, and dedication have contributed significantly to the effective administration of justice within our nation. Judge Pierce has humbly accepted this appointment and is eager to continue advancing the well-being and success of our community.”
The tribe first appointed Morrison as district judge in 2018. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and served as special district judge for Bryan County from 1986 to 1994.
“Judge Morrison remains dedicated to the success and well-being of the Choctaw Nation and its citizens, and he accepted this appointment with humility,” Batton wrote.
The council unanimously confirmed both Pierce and Morrison to new four-year terms.
Construction underway on new Chickasaw Lighthorse Police headquarters
Construction remains underway on a new headquarters for the Chickasaw Lighthorse Police Department, a project tribal leaders say will strengthen public safety services across the Chickasaw Nation.
The planned 72,000-square-foot facility is being built just south of the department’s current headquarters in Ada and will bring all the tribe’s law enforcement services and personnel together under one roof.
“Ensuring public safety is a responsibility the Chickasaw Nation takes seriously, and we have continually added more resources toward that effort in recent years,” said Bill Anoatubby, governor of the Chickasaw Nation said in a press release. “In keeping with that responsibility, we are confident that this new facility will offer a centralized location for the new personnel, equipment and resources, and allow for more efficient communication and deployment of those resources to serve the public.”
According to Randy Wesley, the Chickasaw Nation’s commissioner of tribal law enforcement, the new building will improve coordination among officers and staff while enhancing services for citizens and visitors.
“The new building will enhance public safety,” Wesley said in the press release. “Having all Lighthorse employees in one location will improve workflows and ensure stronger communication and continuity across all public safety needs of our citizens, visitors and partner agencies.”
The new facility will also include emergency communications, detention administration offices and training classrooms.
