Cherokee Tribal Council Approves Redistricting Plan

The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council voted to pass a plan that will establish five voting districts within its jurisdictional boundary beginning with the 2011 tribal elections, according to a press release issued by the tribe on July 14.

The plan would establish three council seats for each of the five districts, and candidates would file for one of the three seats in that district.

“The five districts are similar to U.S. Senators, where there is more than one representative in an area. The value of the five districts is that by default it promotes greater cooperation among community members living in that district,” said Chad Smith, principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, located in Oklahoma.

The tribe is currently working under a nine-district model.

The plan also calls for the tribe to prepare a plan and budget for 2010/2011 to assist counties within its boundaries to complete the 911 enhanced address location and to determine the last known address for every tribal citizen registered with the Nation. The tribal council would then determine districting for the 2013 tribal elections based on that data.

Click here to view a map of the new districts.