Chippewa Cree Elections Invalidated Over Voter Identification Card Issues

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Chippewa Cree election board has invalidated the results of a special election for chairman won by a tribal leader who was ousted in March.

Board attorney Lynn Fagan said Monday the results were overturned because some people were allowed to vote without an official tribal identification card.

She says Chippewa Cree voters approved a law in November that requires the card to be presented before a vote is cast.

This was the first election in which voters were required to have the card.

Fagan says she does not know how many people voted without it.

She says a new election will be scheduled.

Ken Blatt St. Marks defeated five other candidates in the July 30 election.

He was removed as chairman in March by the Chippewa Cree Tribal Business Committee.