PAWHUSKA, Okla. – With more than 20 people coming forward, the filing period for potential members of the fourth Osage Nation Congress closed March 31.

Pending certification by the Osage Nation Election Board, 21 candidates have submitted paperwork to run for the six seats on the June 2 general election ballot.

Listed in chronological order by when they filed for office, the candidates include: Alice Buffalohead, Dr. Ron Shaw, Otto Hamilton, Michael Kidder, Tony Whitehorn, Clair Wood, Doug Cowan, Troy Big Eagle II, Daniel Boone, Angela Pratt, William “Kugee” Supernaw, James Norris, Beverly Brownfield, Teresa Bates Rutherford, W. Jacque Jones, Justin Mays, John Star Bighorse, Rick Luttrell, John Free, Joe Connor and Cecilia Tallchief.

Buffalohead, Boone, Supernaw and Free are members of the third Osage Nation Congress.

March 31 was also the deadline for potential Osage Minerals Council candidates to pick up paperwork from the council’s election office to run for one of the eight seats up for grabs this summer. Candidates must submit a petition by 4:30 p.m. Monday with at least 25 shareholder signatures on it in order to be included on the ballot. As of Friday, 14 candidates, including six incumbents, have submitted completed paperwork, including signed shareholder petitions.

As per the tribe’s election code, there will not be a primary to narrow the field, with the top six finishers taking the oath of office on July 2. Absentee ballot requests for the general election are due May 5.

Absentee ballot requests for the June 2 Osage Minerals Council election are due May 23. For more information or to request an absentee ballot, call the Minerals Council election office at 918-287-5288. Absentee ballot requests for Minerals Council elections must be renewed in writing each election cycle.

A debate for Minerals Council candidates is scheduled for April 26 at the Wah-Zha-Zhe Cultural Center in Pawhuska. The Congressional candidates’ debate is the following weekend at the same location.