Election Notice: Local Indian Councils, Housing Board, B. School Board

EDITED 4/26/2022: Updated Eligibility Guidelines for B. School Board

Elections for Local Indian Council seats, Leech Lake Housing Authority Board and Bug O Nay Ge Shig School Board will take in place in conjunction with the Leech Lake MCT General Election on June 14^th, 2022. Precinct polling sites in all three districts and urban areas will be open from 8:00AM to 8:00PM on Election Day.

The filing period to sign up to run for any of these positions will be open from Monday, April 18, 2022 at 8:00AM through May 16, 2022 at 4:30PM.

Interested Candidates may sign-up in person at the:
Election Board Office
Che We Building (SE Corner)
115 6th St. Ste. E
Cass Lake, MN 56633

Additionally, candidates for Local Indian Council can sign up via telephone by calling 218-335-7219.

OPEN POSITIONS AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS:

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Local Indian Council

There are 17 Local Indian Councils in total. All current LIC member terms will end in June 2022. The top five candidates in each LIC Election will be elected to the LIC. All elected LIC members will serve four-year terms beginning in July 2022.

District I has five LICs:

• Deer River
• Ball Club
• Inger
• Winnie Dam
• Lake

District II has three LICs:

• Bena
• Kego Lake/Smokey Point
• Sugar Point

District III has six LICs:

• Cass Lake
• Mission
• Noopiming
• Onigum
• Oak Point
• Sugar Bush/Buck Lake

Urban areas have three LICs:

• Twin Cities
• Duluth
• Bemidji

Eligibility Requirements
All enrolled Leech Lake Band members who live within the communities/areas named above are eligible to serve on their respective Local Indian Council. You must also be at least 18 years of age and have resided within the specified community/area for at least 30 days prior to the election.

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Leech Lake Housing Authority Board of Commissioners

• District I has 1 open position(s)
• District II has 1 open position(s)
• District III has 1 open position(s)

 
Eligibility Requirements
From Leech Lake Reservation Tribal Council Ordinance Number 79-9 amended 03/24/22.

Article IV – Board of Commissioners
In order to run for election to the board, a person must have reached their twenty-first birthday on or before the election date, and must be a member to the Leech Lake Reservation Band or other Tribal member, recognized by the United States Government, who has resided on the Reservation for at least twelve months prior to the election.

1. Shall be in good financial standing with the Housing Authority: and
2. Shall not be an employee of the Housing Authority; or
   1. Must resign their position with the Housing Authority to serve on the Board; and
3. Shall not have a felony conviction within the ten-year period prior to running for election for the following crimes:
   1. Felony sale or possession of a controlled substance. or an equivalent conviction from a different jurisdiction.
   2. Felony criminal sexual conduct. or an equivalent conviction from a different jurisdiction.
   3. Crimes of violence as defined in MN Statue 624.712 Subdivision 5. or an equivalent conviction from a different jurisdiction.
4. Shall pass a standard drug test. Cannabis exempt.

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Bug O Nay Ge Shig School Board

• District I has 1 open position(s)
• District II has 1 open position(s)
• District III has 2 open position(s)

Eligibility requirements below were taken from the Bug-O-Nay Ge-Shig School board By-Laws revised on 6/09/16. Page 5.
Section 1: Eligibility
In order to be eligible to run for election to the Board;

1. A person must have reached their eighteenth birthday by the election date and must be a member of the Leech Lake Band, and has resided in their respective district on the Reservation for at least twelve months prior to the election, OR
2. Be an Indian Parent/Guardian of a currently enrolled student who resides within the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School’s service delivery area and provide documentation of Tribal affiliation.
3. Currently enrolled students and faculty and staff of the School system are not eligible to run for election.
4. Board members must pass a yearly background check and must continue to reside in their respective districts or continue to be the parent/guardian of an enrolled student while serving on the board.
5. A school employee who has been terminated by the School Board is not eligible to run or hold office on Bug o Nay Ge Shig School Board for a minimum of 36 months after date of termination.
6. Any individual who has been removed from the school board for nonfeasance, misfeasance, or malfeasance, as well as, any individual who is found to be ineligible pursuant to 25 CFR 63.12 is not eligible to run or hold office.