TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) — The nonprofit Carter Center says it won’t be observing this year’s upcoming Cherokee elections as in past years.

The Atlanta-based center says the Cherokee Nation Election Commission decided against inviting the center to observe the June 27 elections.

The Carter Center observed elections for the Cherokee Nation in 1999 and 2011 — a controversial election that continued into the fall before a new chief of the Cherokees was known.

A spokeswoman with the commission said Thursday that election staff has completed extensive training on the voting machines to be used in the election, and that the equipment has gone through logic, accuracy, and live ballot tests.

The Atlanta center says it remains prepared to consider providing assistance in the future.