Copyright © 2006 NLThomas
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TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – Principal Chief Chad Smith has moved a special election on a Constitutional amendment regarding citizenship to March 3, 2007. Smith moved the election back three weeks from its original date of February 10 to allow the Cherokee Nation Election Commission more time to prepare for the special election. The special election results from a citizen’s petition asking for a vote on a Constitutional amendment that would limit citizenship in the Cherokee Nation to descendents of people who are listed on the Final Rolls of the Cherokee Nation as either Cherokee, Delaware or Shawnee, rather than non-Indian rolls taken at the same time. The petition has twice been affirmed valid by the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court. The court has also ruled that the Principal Chief has the right to call a special election, as requested by the more than 2,100 Cherokee voters who signed the petition. In March 2006, the Cherokee Nation’s highest court reversed a previous decision and ruled that the Cherokee Nation’s Constitution allowed citizenship for non-Indian descendants who were listed on the Dawes Rolls of the Cherokee Nation. Until that time, membership had been restricted to those who had a Cherokee, Delaware or Shawnee ancestor on the Dawes Rolls, and the proposed amendment mirrors that policy. In the court ruling allowing non-Indian citizenship, the court noted that “the Cherokee citizenry has the ultimate authority to define tribal citizenship,” and suggested that, “the Constitution could be amended to require all tribal members to possess Cherokee blood.” “The people have spoken clearly, demanding the right to decide this Constitutional issue for themselves,” Smith said. “Some of them believe that you should have to be an Indian to be in an Indian tribe. Others think we should have a policy that allows descendants of non-Indians who were affiliated with our tribe in the past to have citizenship. Regardless, this is obviously an issue that demands the attention of Cherokee voters.”

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org