New Election in District 9 set for Jan. 12

The Tribal Election Board has ordered that the new election in District 9 be held on Jan. 12, 2016.

Voters in District 9 can begin requesting absentee ballots. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is December 23. Absentee ballots must be returned by Jan. 11, 2016.

The official results showed that Elaine McNeil Collins defeated incumbent Anita Hammonds-Blanks by a vote of 199 to 197 on November 17. An automatic recount was held because tribal election law requires it if the vote difference between two candidates is within a range of 1 percent of the total number of ballots cast.

The recount ended with Collins receiving 200 votes and Blanks, 197.

Hammonds filed an appeal on November 24 challenging the eligibility of four voters.

The Election Board ruled in favor of Hammonds and ordered a new election.

“The Lumbee Tribal Election Board, after a hearing, concludes that four voters ….. live outside the boundaries of District 9,” according to the board’s response.

The board concluded that there were “material and significant irregularities” that occurred during the District 9 tribal council race.

District 9 includes all of Saddletree.

Click here to download an application for an absentee ballot for the District 9 election.