Tribal Election Board Certifies Official Referendum Results
Dec 14, 2016
AKWESASNE — Pursuant to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Election and Referendum Ordinance (amended April 2, 2013); the Tribal Election Board held a referendum on Tsiothórha/December 3, 2016 for the following three questions:
1. Should the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe explore options to legalize, license and regulate the cultivation, production and distribution of MEDICAL MARIJUANA?
2. Should the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe explore options to legalize, license and regulate the cultivation, production and distribution of INDUSTRIAL HEMP?
3. Do you support a $200 monthly benefit be paid to tribally enrolled American resident Elders 62 years old and older within the 15 mile radius, which is the established guidelines of the SRMT, for achieving and/or maintaining financial stability for their health, education and welfare?
All three questions were brought forward for the membership’s vote in accordance with the Election and Referendum Ordinance, with the proposed exploration of medical marijuana and industrial hemp obtaining at least a two-thirds vote of Tribal Chiefs and the proposed elder’s monthly benefit resulting from an Elders Benefit Committee petition containing the required number of valid signatures. As a result, three public meetings were held for each of the three referendum questions to be presented to membership prior to the Tsiothórha/December 3rd vote.
The unofficial results of the referendum vote were as follows:
| Referendum Question #1:“SHOULD THE SAINT REGIS MOHAWK TRIBE EXPLORE OPTIONS TO LEGALIZE, LICENSE AND REGULATE THE CULTIVATION, PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA?” | |||
| BALLOTS CAST | ABSENTEE BALLOTS | TOTAL | |
| YES | 333 | 14 | 347 |
| NO | 193 | 5 | 198 |
| VOID | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| SPOILED | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Referendum Question #2:“SHOULD THE SAINT REGIS MOHAWK TRIBE EXPLORE OPTIONS TO LEGALIZE, LICENSE AND REGULATE THE CULTIVATION, PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF “INDUSTRIAL HEMP?” | |||
| BALLOTS CAST | ABSENTEE BALLOTS | TOTAL | |
| YES | 340 | 13 | 353 |
| NO | 174 | 6 | 180 |
| VOID | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SPOILED | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Referendum Question #3:DO YOU SUPPORT A $200 MONTHLY BENEFIT BE PAID TO TRIBALLY ENROLLED AMERICAN RESIDENT ELDERS 62 YEARS OLD AND OLDER WITHIN THE 15 MILE RADIUS, WHICH IS THE ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES OF THE SRMT, FOR ACHIEVING AND/OR MAINTAINING FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR THEIR HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE? | |||
| BALLOTS CAST | ABSENTEE BALLOTS | TOTAL | |
| YES | 370 | 15 | 385 |
| NO | 146 | 4 | 150 |
| VOID | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SPOILED | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Following the Tsiothórha/December 3rd referendum, the Election and Referendum Ordinance provided individuals with five (5) business days to submit a written appeal of the referendum results to the Tribal Election Board, which concluded on Tsiothórha/December 9th. In the event of an appeal, the Ordinance provided the Election Board with five (5) business days to render a decision — by Tsiothórha/December 16th.
No written appeals on any of the three referendum results were submitted therefore, the Election Board has certified the votes received on Tsiothórha/December 3rd as the Official Referendum Results.
Information on steps toward implementing each referendum will be shared at future monthly tribal meetings and other means of communication.
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The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Saint Regis Mohawk People.