The Seminole Nation wrapped up its 2021 General Election absentee ballot period on June 10. Election Board Chair, Dr. Stephanie Bills, reports absentee ballot requests exceeded the numbers in past elections.

“It is unknown at this time whether we will have a larger voter turnout this election or whether members are opting to vote via absentee ballot due to the conditions brought on by COVID-19,” said Bills.

The General Election had 1200 voters who turned out to cast their vote in 2017. Currently, there are 15,894 eligible voters and 18,636 tribal members, according to Shirley Walker, Director of Tribal Enrollment for the Seminole Nation.

“We are extremely grateful that the option of absentee voting is in place for members that live outside the voting area and for those that prefer to avoid public spaces.” said Bills.

The Nation will have five polling locations with safety protocols in place for in-person voting. The General Election is set for July 10th. The five polling location sites are:

Sasakwa Community Building (119 State Highway 56, Sasakwa, OK 74867)

Strother Community Building- Thomas Little CC (11411 NS 3610, Seminole, OK 74868)

North Community Building - Mekusukey Mission (12579 NS 3540, Seminole, OK 74868)

Crooked Oak Public Schools - Administration (1901 SE 15th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73129)

Shawnee Middle School (4300 N. Union Ave, Shawnee, OK 74804)

Polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.

The election has contracted with Automated Election Services (AES) to process and tabulate both absentee and in-person voting. AES has provided voting services for several Oklahoma tribes to include Choctaw Nation.

According to Board Member Mrs. Kissie Mouse, “AES has been a tremendous partner, and we appreciate their ability to adapt to the Nation’s constitution, which outlines the process and steps for the election.”

The voting service manages the life cycle of the election to include ballot printing and handling the validation, security, access, privacy, and archiving of the documents for the election. Election services provide tribes the assurance that data handling is safe and secure and the process is followed accordingly.

Historian and Tusekia Harjo Band Chief Rodney Factor reflected on the early years of tribal voting “when members would simply line up behind their candidates to elect the chief.” Today tribal elections continue to evolve by utilizing technology to assist in elections. The synchronized voting system used for the Seminole Nation Election connects all five polling sites and the absentee voting data simultaneously to ensure members only vote once.

The 2021 election seeks to elect the following positions: Chief, Assistant Chief, and two Council Representatives for each of the 14 bands.

If you have any questions about the election, please call (405) 652-0195 or email the Election Board at electionboard@sno-nsn.gov.

The Seminole Nation Transit Service is offering rides to the polls. For more information about this service, please call (405) 294-3674.