Tribal Council Elections

These are the sections of the Law & Order Code that pertain to running for office. To view the full L&O Code regarding Elections, please click here.

Section 9-6-1. General Election Date.

In accordance with Article VII, Section 1 of the Constitution, general elections shall be held on the first Tuesday in the month of November of even numbered years.

Section 9-6-2. Qualification for Office.

In accordance with the Constitution, to be eligible to be a candidate for a position on the Tribal Council or Chairperson, a person must:

1. Be an enrolled member of the Tribe;
2. Be at least twenty-five (25) years of age;
3. Submit to a criminal background check and drug screening in accordance with this Chapter that returns a negative result;
4. Not have been convicted of any felony in any court of any jurisdiction unless pardoned and fully restored of his or her civil rights by the proper authorities prior to the election; and
5. Not have been convicted in any court of any jurisdiction of a crime involving the theft of Tribal funds or property regardless of any pardon or restoration of civil rights for said offense.

Section 9-6-3. Nominating Procedures.

1. To appear on an election ballot as a candidate for a position on the Tribal Council or Chairperson, an individual must:
   1. Notify the Election Board in writing of his or her intent to run for office, identifying the position and voting district from which he or she intends to run and requesting a nominating petition;
   2. Sign an appropriate release authorizing the Human Resources Department to conduct a criminal background check and a drug screening and for the Election Board to receive the results of such criminal background check and drug screening; IX-43
   3. Pay a non-refundable filing fee, in an amount set by the Election Board, at the time of picking up the nominating petition packet. The fee is for the criminal background check and the drug screening. Payment will need to be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; and
   4. Submit the nominating petition packet to the Election Board with the requisite amount of valid signatures prior to the deadline set for filing nominating petitions.
2. Candidates for a position on the Tribal Council must file a petition signed by at least twenty-five (25) individuals from the voting district the candidate intends to represent who are eligible to vote or register to vote as provided in this Title. Candidates for Chairperson must file a petition signed by at least fifty (50) individuals who are eligible to vote or register to vote as provided in this Title.
3. If an individual signs one nominating petition, it shall not prohibit that individual from signing another nominating petition for a different individual who is seeking to be nominated as a candidate for a position on the Tribal Council from the same voting district.
4. No individual shall be permitted to be a candidate for a position on the Tribal Council or Chairperson unless nominated by petition in accordance with this Title.
5. No individual shall be permitted to be a candidate for more than one position on the Tribal Council.

Section 9-6-4. Submission of Nominating Petition Packets.

1. Nominating petition packets shall be filed with the Election Board in accordance with Chapter 4 of this Title and this Section.
2. Nominating petition packets may be picked up beginning May 1st and no later than the last business day in May of each general election year.
3. Nominating petitions must be filed with the Election Board no later than the close of business on the last business day in June of the general election year in which the candidate desires to appear on the ballot. If a nominating petition is IX-44 not filed by this deadline, the proposed candidate shall not be eligible to be placed on the ballot.
4. The Election Board shall provide notice to all members of the deadline for submitting nominating petitions no later than March 1 of each general election year.