25 C.F.R. PART 90—ELECTION OF OFFICERS OF THE OSAGE TRIBE
Title 25 - Indians
Authority: Sec. 9, 34 Stat. 539; sec. 7, 45 Stat. 1478; 71 Stat. 471, unless otherwise noted.
Source: 23 FR 1948, Mar. 25, 1958; 23 FR 2026, Mar. 27, 1958, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982.
As used in this part: (a) The term supervisor means the tribal election official chosen and appointed by the Principal Chief or Assistant Principal Chief to act as chairman of the election board and shall in the absence of the supervisor denote the Assistant Supervisor. Section 7 of the Act of March 2, 1929 (45 Stat. 1481) provides in part as follows:
That there shall be a quadrennial election of officers of the Osage Tribe as follows: A principal chief, an assistant principal chief, and eight members of the Osage tribal council, to succeed the officers elected in the year 1928, said officers to be elected at a general election to be held in the town of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on the first Monday in June 1930 and on the first Monday in June each four years thereafter, in the manner to be prescribed by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and said officers shall be elected for a period of four years commencing on the 1st day of July following said elections. * * * Only members of the Osage Tribe who will be eighteen years of age or over on election day and whose names appear on the quarterly annuity roll at the Osage Agency as of the last quarterly payment immediately preceding the date of election will be entitled to hold office or vote for any tribal officers. Each such voter shall be entitled to cast one ballot and each ballot shall have exactly the same value as the voter's headright interest shown on the last quarterly annuity roll. Any fraction of a headright, however, shall be valued as to the first two decimals only unless such interest is less than one-hundredth of a share, then it shall have its full value. (45 Stat. 1481) [43 FR 8798, Mar. 3, 1978. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] Conventions shall be held on or before the first Monday in April of the year in which a quadrennial election is held, and there shall be written reports of such conventions, duly certified by the secretary or presiding officer showing total number of qualified voters in attendance, together with the names of candidates nominated for the various offices: Provided, That at least 25 qualified voters shall have been in attendance at any such convention; also, names of any independent candidates nominated by petition of not less than 25 qualified voters, each signature to be witnessed by two persons, shall be filed with the supervisor not later than 5 p.m. on the first Monday in April of the year in which a quadrennial election is held in order that such names may be placed on the official ballot. No person shall be considered a candidate for tribal office unless and until the requirements of this section have been met. [32 FR 10253, July 12, 1967. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] The manner of carrying out elections to be held under the act of June 28, 1906 (34 Stat. 539), as amended by the act of March 2, 1929 (45 Stat. 1478), as amended by the act of August 28, 1957 (71 Stat. 471), is covered in the regulations set forth in this part. The next election will be held on the first Monday in June 1958 and subsequent elections will be held on the first Monday in June each four years thereafter. The Principal Chief, or in his absence, the Assistant Principal Chief shall, not more than seventy-five days nor less than sixty-five days preceding the day appointed by law for the holding of an election of officers of the Osage Tribe, issue in the form and manner prescribed in §90.37, an election notice and appoint an election board consisting of a Supervisor who shall be chairman, Assistant Supervisor, five judges, one of whom in addition to his regular duties shall act as interpreter, and five clerks, whose duties shall be to conduct the election as provided in the regulations in this part: Provided further, That the Superintendent on the recommendation of the election board may designate extra clerical assistants. Prior to the date of the election, the election board shall assemble and make necessary arrangements for the election in a building to be designated by the Superintendent of the Osage Agency as the polling site and make the necessary preparation for receiving prospective voters, for receiving absentee ballots, and see to it that voting booths are arranged to afford privacy. Members of the election board and any extra clerical assistants designated by the Superintendent under authority contained in this section, other than employees of the Osage Agency when duly appointed or designated as provided for in this part may be compensated for conducting each quadrennial election at rates to be fixed by the Osage Tribal Council. If a member of the election board desires to be relieved from duty for any cause, he shall notify the Principal Chief or in his absence the Assistant Principal Chief, in writing to that effect and the Principal Chief, or in his absence the Assistant Principal Chief shall designate someone else to serve as a member of the election board. The Supervisor, or in his absence the Assistant Supervisor, shall see that the rules prescribed for conducting the election are faithfully carried out. The ballots shall be handed out by a judge to the voters as they present themselves to vote, after being identified by a clerk who shall be supplied with a copy of the list of voters prepared pursuant to §90.35. The judge before handing out a ballot shall remove the detachable portion. A judge shall receive the ballot after the voter has indicated his choice thereon by placing an “X” mark opposite the name of each candidate for whom he desires his vote counted and shall deposit same in the ballot box. The duties of the remaining judges in conjunction with the Supervisor will be to read the names on the ballot when requested so as to identify the candidates or furnish such other information as may be desired in that connection and also to assist prospective voters unable because of language difficulties or physical incapacity to cast votes for candidates of their choice, and to undertake such other duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor. [27 FR 2458, Mar. 15, 1962. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] Any candidate or political party may name a person to act as watcher and challenger at any election provided for by the regulations in this part. Each watcher and challenger shall be appointed in writing by the candidate or political party he or she represents. The watchers and challengers shall have the right to be present in the polling place but outside the voting booths and to watch the election officials, the balloting, the call, the tally, and the recording of the result of the vote. It shall be the duty of the watcher to watch, listen, and observe the count for all candidates voted for to insist upon an honest and fair count but shall have no further authority than to have the election judges and clerks note or record any objections to the count and to challenge the result thereof. The challenger shall have the right to question any voter and his right to vote. Watchers shall not divulge or give out any intimation or information as to the count prior to announcement by the election board and shall be subject to the same rules governing the election board with regard to leaving and returning to the polling place. A watcher or challenger shall receive no compensation for his services. [27 FR 2458, Mar. 15, 1962. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] The Superintendent of the Osage Agency shall compile a list of the voters of the Tribe who are qualified under §90.21. Such list shall set forth only the name and last known address of each voter. The Superintendent shall furnish copies of the list to the Supervisor of the election board and shall post copies at the headquarters of the Osage Agency at Pawhuska, Okla., and such other places as the election board may determine to be appropriate. The compilation, posting and distribution of copies to the Supervisor of the election board shall be done as soon as possible after preparation of the last quarterly annuity roll preceding the election. Copies of the list shall also be made available to all qualified candidates for office and for the purpose of checking off the name of each voter as his ballot is cast and for determining, in the event of question, the right of any individual to vote. [27 FR 2458, Mar. 15, 1962. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] (a) The election board shall fix a date not less than five days before the election at which time all complaints will be heard. The election board shall, at least three days before the date of election, determine any claim or challenge as to the right of any person to be listed on the roll of eligible voters. (b) Any voter of the tribe shall have the right to challenge any person presenting himself to vote and it shall be the duty of the supervisor and a judge of the board to make such investigation then and there as they deem essential, and decide the question of whether or not a person is a listed voter. The election notice shall set forth the place, date and time for holding the election, qualification of voters, method of nominating candidates, and closing date for same, method of locating each name on the ballot and the names of each member of the election board. As soon as possible a copy of the notice of the election, after approval by the Superintendent of the Osage Agency, shall be mailed to each qualified voter at his last known address. The poll shall remain open without intermission from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the date of the election. When all else is in readiness for the opening of the poll the supervisor shall open the ballot box in view of the other election officers, shall turn same top down to show that no ballots are contained therein, and shall then lock the box and retain the key in his possession. [32 FR 10253, July 12, 1967. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] Each voter shall upon presenting himself to vote announce to the clerk his name, and address. The Superintendent of the Osage Agency shall have ballots printed showing the name and the office for which each candidate has been nominated and also space for showing the value of the respective ballots. The Superintendent shall have recorded on a detachable portion of each ballot the name of the voter. The value of each voter's ballot shall be recorded on the principal portion of the respective ballots. Any faction or group has the right to nominate any candidate it chooses, in accordance with the regulations prescribed in this part. The names of such candidates shall be printed on the ballot in the manner set forth as follows: (a) Under the heading, Principal Chief, with notation to vote for one, shall appear names of all candidates for that office. Under the heading, Assistant Chief, with notation to vote for one, shall appear the names of all candidates for that office. Under the heading, Members of Council, with notation to vote for eight, shall appear names of all candidates for council. Names of candidates for office shall appear only once on ballot, regardless of the fact that they may have been nominated on more than one ticket. The order in which names of qualified candidates for office will be placed on the ballot shall be by lot method of drawing in a manner to be determined by the tribal council, and to be free from or regardless of party or factional affiliations. A candidate may use one nickname. Titles and professional designations will not be shown on the ballot. A record shall be kept of any ballots that may be mutilated, canceled, or used as samples. (b) A space will be provided on each ballot in which the clerk prior to issuing the ballot shall note the value of the ballot which shall be exactly the same value as the voter's headright interest as shown on the last quarterly annuity roll, except any fraction of a headright shall be valued as to the first two decimals only unless such interest is less than one one-hundredth then it shall have its full value. As verification the clerk shall initial the ballot so numbered in the margin. In addition each ballot shall be stamped “Official Ballot” (facsimile signature Supervisor Osage Election Board). Should any voter spoil or mutilate his ballot in his effort to vote he may surrender the ballot to the supervisor who shall give the voter in lieu thereof another ballot which shall show its appropriate value. The spoiled or mutilated ballot or any portion of a spoiled or mutilated ballot shall be retained with other records pertaining to the election. [32 FR 10253, July 12, 1967. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] (a) An eligible voter who will be unable to appear at the poll in Pawhuska on election day shall be entitled to vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballots shall be identical to the ballots described in §90.40 with the exception that each such ballot shall be stamped “Absentee Ballot,” and reflect the date of issuance. All applications for absentee ballots shall be made in writing by the voter. Each ballot shall indicate the value of the vote to which the voter is entitled. The supervisor shall maintain a file of all applications, together with a record of the names and addresses of all persons to whom absentee ballots are mailed or delivered, including the date of mailing or delivery. All absentee ballots must be postmarked and be in the Pawhuska Post Office prior to 8 a.m. on election day. (b) It shall be the duty of the supervisor, upon receipt of an application, to mail or deliver to the applicant an envelope containing a ballot (after removing the detachable portion), and an inner and outer envelope as described herein. This shall be done not more than 30 days before the election, except that the envelopes and ballots may be mailed to absentee voters residing outside the continental limits of the United States at any time after mailing of the election notice. (c) If the absentee ballot and accompanying envelopes are to be mailed to the prospective voter, the written request must be submitted to the supervisor on or before 5 p.m. of the Wednesday preceding the election. The absentee ballot and accompanying envelopes may be delivered personally to the prospective voter any time prior to the opening of the poll. (d) The absentee voter shall mark the ballot and seal it only in the inner envelope. The following shall be printed on the inner envelope:
Absentee Ballot election of officers of the osage tribe june _, 19__ (e) The absentee voter shall enclose the inner envelope in the outer envelope and after sealing same shall execute the certificate imprinted thereon which certificate shall be in the following form:
I will be unable to appear at the poll in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on the _____ day of June 19__ and have enclosed my ballot for the election of officers of the Osage Tribe.1 1 Criminal penalties are provided by statute for knowingly filing false information in such statements (18 U.S.C. 1001). (Voter's signature)__________. The outer envelope shall be preaddressed as follows: Supervisor, Osage Election Board, Post Office Box __, Pawhuska, Okla. 74056. (45 Stat. 1481) [23 FR 1948, Mar. 25, 1958; 23 FR 2026, Mar. 27, 1958, as amended at 43 FR 8799, Mar. 3, 1978. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] The absentee ballots shall remain in the locked box in the post office, Pawhuska, Okla., until 8 a.m. on the day of election at which time the supervisor or assistant supervisor of the election board, accompanied by the Superintendent of the Osage Agency or his designated representatives, shall receive the locked box from the post office and shall personally transport the locked box to the polling site where it shall be delivered immediately to the supervisor or assistant supervisor of the election board. The supervisor or the assistant supervisor in the presence of at least two judges shall unlock the locked box containing the absentee ballots and shall then determine whether the person whose name is signed to the statement is a qualified voter of the Osage Tribe and check said voter off the poll list before opening the outer envelope. After it has been determined which of the absentee ballots have been cast by duly qualified electors, the supervisor in the presence of the election board shall cause the valid ballots in the sealed inner envelopes to be placed in the ballot box. [32 FR 10254, July 12, 1967. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] (a) Immediately after the polls are closed at 8 p.m., the counting of the ballots shall commence. The supervisor and not less than two judges shall remain continuously in the room until the ballots are finally counted. One or more judges shall act as official counters and two or more clerks shall record the value of each vote and shall comprise a vote tallying team. The vote shall be recorded on two tally sheets by each team of judges and clerks under the name of each candidate for whom the voter designated his choice. The count shall continue until all votes have been recorded. The duties of the remaining officials of the election board will be to assist in conducting the election. After the vote of each ballot is recorded, the ballot shall be pierced by needle and string and after the ballots have been so counted, the ends of the string shall be tied together. After all other ballots have been counted, the sealed inner envelopes containing the absentee ballots shall be opened and all ballots found to be valid shall be counted and treated in the same manner as other valid ballots. All ballots and mutilated ballots; registration lists of voters, both absentee and those appearing at the poll; all tally sheets; and all other election materials shall be placed in the ballot box which shall be locked. The supervisor shall then deliver the locked ballot box and keys to same to the Superintendent, Osage Agency, and the box shall be retained in a safe place until opened by order of the supervisor or election board in the event a contest is filed. If no contest is filed, the ballots shall be destroyed 180 days after the election. No information concerning voting shall be posted or made public information until after 8 p.m. (b) Should any ballot be marked for more than one principal chief or assistant chief or for more than eight councilmen, only that section of the ballot wherein the error was made shall be declared void and the remaining section or sections shall be counted in the same manner as other ballots. Absentee ballots shall be declared void when items other than the ballot are enclosed in the inner envelope, the voter fails to sign the statement appearing on the outer envelope, and for failure to seal the inner envelope or enclose the inner envelope in the outer envelope. Votes cast for individuals whose names are not printed on the official ballot shall not be counted. [32 FR 10254, July 12, 1967, as amended at 43 FR 8799, Mar. 3, 1978. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] Following the election a statement is to be prepared by the supervisor pertaining to the conduct of the election and certifying to the correct tabulation of the votes for each candidate. The statement shall also set forth the names of the elected candidates and the office to which each was elected. The statement shall be duly acknowledged before an officer qualified to administer oaths and delivered to the Superintendent of the Osage Agency. [32 FR 10254, July 12, 1967. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] No person shall be allowed to electioneer within the building where and when the election is in progress and it will be the duty of the supervisor to request the detail of a police officer to assist him in maintaining order about the building during the progress of the election. The Superintendent of the Osage Indian Agency shall in due time give written notice to candidates of their election to the various tribal offices and as soon thereafter as practicable such tribal officers shall appear and subscribe to oath of office before an officer qualified to administer oaths and such oaths shall be delivered to the Superintendent and by him transmitted to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Any unsuccessful candidate may before noon on Monday next following the tribal election file with the supervisor a challenge to the correctness of the vote cast for the office for which he was a candidate, which challenge must be accompanied by a deposit of $500. The election board or the supervisor shall order a recount and proceed with same as provided in this part. If the recount results in the contestant being elected, the deposit shall be refunded; otherwise, the deposit shall be used to defray all expenses of said recount and any balance not so used shall be returned to the contestant. [32 FR 10254, July 12, 1967. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982] It shall be the duty of the supervisor, to serve upon the contestee, or contestees, directly affected by such challenge or contest, a true copy of said written application, the original of which is required to be filed with the supervisor. Said service shall be made in person, where possible, within twenty-four hours after the filing of said original challenge or contest, and where personal service is impossible within such time, on account of the absence of contestee, or contestees, from Osage County, or for any other reason, it is hereby made the duty of the supervisor to serve a true copy upon the Superintendent of the Osage Indian Agency: Provided, That for the purpose of such constructive service, the Superintendent is hereby made and constituted the service agent of each and every candidate in all tribal elections, and by filing petition as a candidate, such candidate shall thereby be presumed conclusively to have accepted the terms and provisions hereof and specifically the constructive service as aforesaid. All expenses of elections including compensation to the members of the election board and any clerical assistants designated by the Superintendent under §90.32, stationery supplies, meals, printing and postage shall be borne by the Osage Tribe as set forth in an appropriate Osage Tribal Council resolution establishing current pay scale. [27 FR 2459, Mar. 15, 1962. Redesignated at 47 FR 13327, Mar. 30, 1982]
Title 25: Indians
PART 90—ELECTION OF OFFICERS OF THE OSAGE TRIBE
Section Contents
General
§ 90.1 Definitions.
§ 90.2 Statutory provisions.
Eligibility
§ 90.21 General.
Elections
§ 90.30 Nominating conventions and petitions.
§ 90.31 Applicability.
§ 90.32 Election Board.
§ 90.33 Watchers and challengers.
§ 90.35 List of voters.
§ 90.36 Disputes on eligibility of voters.
§ 90.37 Election notices.
§ 90.38 Opening and closing of poll.
§ 90.39 Voters to announce name and residence.
§ 90.40 Ballots.
§ 90.41 Absentee voting.
§ 90.42 Absentee ballots.
§ 90.43 Canvass of election returns.
§ 90.44 Statement of supervisor.
§ 90.45 Electioneering.
§ 90.46 Notification of election of tribal officers.
§ 90.47 Contesting elections.
§ 90.48 Notice of contest.
§ 90.49 Expenses of elections.
General
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§ 90.1 Definitions.
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§ 90.2 Statutory provisions.
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Eligibility
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§ 90.21 General.
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Elections
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§ 90.30 Nominating conventions and petitions.
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§ 90.31 Applicability.
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§ 90.32 Election Board.
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§ 90.33 Watchers and challengers.
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§ 90.35 List of voters.
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§ 90.36 Disputes on eligibility of voters.
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§ 90.37 Election notices.
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§ 90.38 Opening and closing of poll.
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§ 90.39 Voters to announce name and residence.
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§ 90.40 Ballots.
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§ 90.41 Absentee voting.
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§ 90.42 Absentee ballots.
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§ 90.43 Canvass of election returns.
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§ 90.44 Statement of supervisor.
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§ 90.45 Electioneering.
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§ 90.46 Notification of election of tribal officers.
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§ 90.47 Contesting elections.
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§ 90.48 Notice of contest.
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§ 90.49 Expenses of elections.
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