August 20, 2016 –
Announcing the Newly Elected Tribal Council Members
The preliminary results are in! The newly elected members of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Council are Zach Pahmahmie for the Vice Chair position, Amanda Nioce Barbosa in the Treasurer’s position and Thomas Wabnum “Hoppy” for Council Member #2 and Carrie Wabaunsee O’Toole for Council Member #3.
The mail-in ballots for the 2016 Run-Off Election were tabulated in an open meeting for tribal members at the Old Bingo Hall on Saturday, August 20, 2016. Starting at 9 am the Election Board initiated the tabulation process while approximately 50 tribal members waited in anticipation for the results. Tribal members Elizabeth Goana, Frank Shopteese, Paula Moore, Linda Yazzie and Leslie Marshno assisted with the election.
Immediately following the electronic tabulation of the ballots by Automated Election Services (AES) from Albuquerque, NM the Election Board released the preliminary results.
2016 Preliminary Run Off Election Results
Tribal Vice Chairperson
Joyce Guerrero – 352 – 44.90%
Zach Pahmahmie – 432 – 55.10%
Tribal Treasurer
Amanda Nioce Barbosa – 465 – 59.24%
Noah Wahquahboshkuk – 320 – 40.76%
Tribal Council Person #2
Thomas Wabnum “Hoppy” – 426 – 54.55%
Adrian “Gubba” Hale – 355 – 45.45%
Tribal Council Person #3
Carrie O’Toole – 399 – 51.09%
Juanita Jessepe – 382 – 48.91%
Any protests to the tabulation can be filed by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, August, 24, 2016 to the Election Board located at the Enrollment Office, Government Center – Lower Level. After the three day protest period the election results will be certified and deemed the official count.
A Swearing-In Ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 25, 2016 at the Bingo Hall at 10 am pending the three day protest period. Once sworn in, the members will begin their four year terms and undertake the official duties of their elected office through the year 2020.
In the primary election tabulation held on July 23, 2016, 819 votes were tabulated but none of the four open positions on the Tribal Council met the requirement of a majority-plus-one vote count to win a seat outright. The PBPN Election Committee then proceeded to administer the run-off election wherein the two people receiving the highest vote percentages for each position ran against one another.
Initial Election Results from July 2016
Tribal Vice Chairperson
Joyce Guerrero – 205 – 24.55%
Zach Pahmahmie – 157 – 18.80%
Tribal Treasurer
Amanda Nioce Barbosa – 344 – 41.50%
Noah Wahquahboshkuk – 262 – 31.60%
Tribal Council Person #2
Thomas Wabnum “Hoppy” – 262 – 31.41%
Adrian “Gubba” Hale – 158 – 18.94%
Tribal Council Person #3
Carrie O’Toole – 200 – 26.92%
Juanita Jessepe – 141 – 18.98%
Tally Sheet from Run Off Election
