Tribal Council Adopts Amended and Restated Emergency Tribal Ordinance for May 16 Regular Election: Drive Thru and In Person Voting to Take Place at Community and Government Center

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has set a new date for its general election after issues were raised about the mail in ballot process at a March 22 Emergency Tribal Council Meeting.

After hearing the issues, the Tribal Council voted unanimously at the March 22 meeting to postpone the election to Sunday, May 16. Tribal council also unanimously approved a motion to rescind an emergency election ordinance that allowed for ballots to be returned by mail. A final ordinance guiding the election committee was approved by a majority of council members present at an Emergency Council Meeting on April 5.

In addition to the issues raised about the mail in ballot protocols at the Emergency Meeting, there is also an ongoing case in tribal court about mail in ballots. Mashpee Wampanoag District Court Judge Amanda White Eagle issued a preliminary injunction halting the election and dismissed the case against the named council members on sovereign immunity grounds, but allowed the case to go forward against the named election committee members.

Following the District Court ruling, the election committee members appealed and the Mashpee Wampanoag Supreme Court issued a stay on the district court’s issuance of the preliminary injunction and granted the appeal to hear the issue of whether or not the District Court correctly held that the election committee members were not entitled to sovereign immunity from suit. The appeal is pending and a final ruling on mail in ballots has not been made at this time.

Ballots that were previously returned by mail will not be opened or counted and will remain secure until the pending court case has ended. All eligible Tribal members will need to cast a new ballot on May 16.

At the May 16 election, tribal members will be selecting the next slate of officers for the Tribe and one (1) councilmember. Polls for Drive Thru voting will open for elders and disabled tribal members, including one vehicular driver, at 7 AM on election day and open at 9:30 AM for all other voting tribal members. Polls for Drive Thru voting will close at 11:30 AM. Polls for In-Person voting will be open for all voters from 12:30 until 7:00 PM. Social distancing and masks will be required. 

Brian Weeden, Aaron Tobey Jr., Nelson Andrews Jr., and Kyle Bassett are running for Chairman. Edwina “Winnie Johnson-Graham and Carlton Hendricks Jr., are running for Vice Chair. Ann Marie Askew and Cassie Jackson are seeking the Secretary seat. Marie Stone, Winona Pocknett, Karen Edwards Siegel, Angela Marcellino and Charles “Bobby” Foster are running for Treasurer and David Weeden and Kimberly Frye are running for Council Member.

Councilwoman Rita Gonsalves and Yvonne Avant have been appointed by Tribal Council to serve as co-liaisons to the Election Committee. Councilwoman Gonsalves has withdrawn her campaign for Chairwoman and is no longer a candidate in the election.