Election protests dismissed

Observer Staff

1/25/2005 12:00:00 AM

Two protests filed over the Feb. 10 special election for District 1 have been dismissed by an election appeals judge.

One of the protests-filed by eventual winner and District 1 Tribal member Delores Jackson-occurred on Feb. 2 or eight days before the special election.

Jackson alleged there were three candidates on the ballot-David Perez, Consuelo Gonzalez and Dolly Ruckert-she believed were not eligible to run for office because they were adopted into the Tribe. On Feb. 12, Jackson formally withdrew her protest. A hearing scheduled on Feb. 18 on her protest was subsequently canceled by Election Appeals Judge Vanya S. Hogen in her Feb. 12 order.

The other protest, filed on Feb. 12 by District 1 Tribal member Gloria King, concerned against the "induction and seating" of the top vote getter in the special election.

King stated she believed that Jackson "cannot ethically or legally fulfill her obligation to swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe" because of her connections to the �39 Committee.

"It does not appear to the undersigned that Ms. King is actually protesting the outcome of the election," stated Hogen in her order. "Nowhere in her protest does she allege any election irregularity or that Ms. Jackson was not actually the winner of the special election. Rather, she appears to be challenging Ms. Jackson's ability to serve as a Tribal Council member because she believes Ms. Jackson will not uphold the Tribal Constitution."