Election Board Agrees to Tribal Court Entering Order to Stop Tribal Election on May 4, 2019 as Violating Prior 2016 Appellate Court Order
On Monday, April 8, 2019, the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribal Court entered a Decision and Order in Case No. SJSPT-2019-03 stopping the Tribal Election Board from holding the Tribal Election currently set for May 4, 2019. In its Decision and Order, the Tribal Court relied on the prior Appellate Court Order dated June 28, 2016, which ordered that the individuals elected to the Tribal Council in the February 27, 2016 Tribal Election were entitled to serve their full 4-year terms of office.
Under the Appellate Court Order, which was upheld by the Tribal Court, the Tribal Council seats for President, Vice President, Northern Council and Southern Council have terms through July 8, 2020. The Appellate Court Order directs that the next Council election for these seats will be held “on or about July 8, 2020” through a Special Election and those elected during the Special Election “shall hold office only for a shortened term until the first Saturday in May, 2023.”
As reflected in the Decision and Order, after reviewing the prior Appellate Court Order, the Election Board agreed with the Tribal Court that the Tribal Election should be stopped.
