Sandra Witherspoon was elected as the new Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB) tribal chairman, according to the 2024 general unofficial election results from Tuesday. Witherspoon received 235 votes (57.2%), with tribal councilor incumbent Brian Napont earning 176 (42.8%) of the total votes. The current tribal chairman, David Arroyo, did not run for reelection, and will serve until his term ends on May 17.
Tribal members have until May 14 to file election challenges with the tribe’s election board. If no challenges are filed, the general election results will be certified by May 15.
Along with Witherspoon, GTB members in the six county service area voted for Angelina Raphael (251 votes), Anna Miller (202 votes), and incumbent Donna Swallows (190 votes). The three candidates will serve on the GTB council to replace council members’ terms that expire this year including: Theresa Marshall and Robert Kewaygoshkum. Tribal candidates that followed behind in votes included Scott Lewis (182 votes), Tanya Raphael (153 votes), and Sandra Witherspoon (152 votes).
Due to close unofficial results between Lewis, who had 182 votes, and Swallows, who had 190 votes, Steve McClellan, chairman of the tribal election board, said a recount for both candidates will have to be completed. GTB’s election regulations state that if “unofficial results from the election indicate that a candidate for office was eliminated or defeated in the general election by 1% or less of the votes counted for the office, the election board will automatically conduct a recount on the same date, or as soon thereafter as possible.” If the result of the recount for any precinct, or for the absentee ballots, is different than the vote totals from the original count, the election board will conduct a hand count of the ballots cast at that precinct or the absentee ballots.
Voter turnout in this year’s general election was 39% (376 votes) of the 967 tribal members eligible to vote, up from the 2022 general election turnout of 36%. The highest voter turnout was in Leelanau County, where a total of 165 votes were casted. The Grand Traverse/Antrim three mile precinct followed behind Leelanau County for the second highest turnout, with approximately 134 votes casted.
Once the election results have been certified by the Election Board, the oath of office will be administered by a Tribal Judge at Leelanau Sands Showroom in Peshawbestown, and is tentatively scheduled for Friday, May 17, 2024 with the time to be determined.
