TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – A hearing has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday to challenge the results in one of two races in the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians’ Dec. 3 run-off election.

On Monday, assistant chief candidate and former UKB gaming commissioner Joe Bunch announced that his campaign would formally challenge the results from the tribe’s Dec. 3 runoff, which showed incumbent Charles Locust winning re-election by 22 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’s campaign claims a computer glitch inverted the run-off results, making it impossible to guarantee the figures with mathematical certainty. Under the tribe’s election code, the burden of proof falls on the candidate challenging the results.

After Saturday’s hearing, the tribe’s election commission has five days to issue a ruling.

Inauguration is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2013.

 

* Native Times was informed the hearing is closed to the press.