TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The unofficial results of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians’ runoff election for assistant chief are being challenged.

On Monday, former UKB gaming commissioner Joe Bunch announced that his campaign will formally challenge the results from the tribe’s Dec. 3 runoff, which showed Assistant Chief Charles Locust winning re-election by 20 votes. Under the terms of the UKB election code, any election decided by 10 percentage points or less is automatically subject to a recall.

“With the potential of positive change and reestablishing integrity to the Keetoowah Assistant Chief office, I believe it is imperative to seek answers to the controversy swirling around the competing poll numbers,” Bunch said in a press release. “The Keetoowah tribal members deserve accountability of the questionable and inconclusive election results”

Bunch provided Native Times with a copy of his protest. In it, Bunch alleges “the names of the candidates were switched for the final tally of votes and the error / computer glitch or human mistake resulted in the wrong candidate being elected.”

As of 4 p.m. Monday, the tribe’s election commission had not set a hearing date for Bunch’s appeal. The filing deadline for any additional challenges stemming from the run-off election is 5 p.m.