OST voters must register by Monday

By Heidi Bell Gease, Journal staff | Tuesday, March 25, 2008

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Oglala Sioux Tribal members have six days left to register to vote in an April 22 election that could change the tribal constitution.

Registration forms must be turned in to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) superintendent’s office by 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 31. Forms can also be turned in to tribal council members or Community Action Program coordinators.

So far, about 1,000 registration forms have been returned, BIA Superintendent Bob Ecoffey said Monday. About 16,000 registration forms were mailed out.

Enrolled tribal members who are at least 18 years old and have lived on the reservation for at least one year are eligible to vote in the Secretarial Election, which would adopt nine amendments to the tribal constitution.

Those amendments would:

-- Create a court system that is separate from the tribal council

-- Adopt four-year staggered terms for tribal council representatives

-- Require regular monthly council meetings

-- Require the council to adopt a code of ethics

-- Clarify the recall process for elected officials

-- Establish a bill of rights

-- Remove the tribal treasurer from the tribe’s executive board and require that person to have an accounting degree

-- Allow people born off the reservation to become enrolled tribal members

-- Allow a chance for tribal members to vote on a new name for the tribe, such as Oglala Lakota Oyate

Ecoffey said district representatives will go door-to-door this week in an effort to register more voters. At least 30 percent of registered voters must vote in the April 22 election in order for it to be valid. The amendments require a simple majority to pass.

For more information, call 867-5125.

Contact Heidi Bell Gease at 394-8419 or heidi.bell@rapidcityjournal.com