Absentee Voting – Election Code (Chapter 32) and Tribal Constitution

On October 24, 2020, the General Membership approved a Constitutional amendment to Article VI, Section 4 of the Constitution of the Spokane Tribe of Indians (“Constitution”). This Constitutional amended expanded the right to vote in tribal elections via absentee ballot to all eligible tribal voters. This Constitutional amendment has been codified and the updated Constitution is attached to this email.

In order to effectuate this Constitutional amendment the Tribe’s Election Code, codified as Chapter 32 of the Revised Spokane Law and Order Code (“RSLOC”), also needed to be updated to include absentee voting. Today, the Tribal Business Council approved Resolution 2021-223 which amends and codifies various changes to the Election Code, including absentee voting provision. The amended Election Code is attached to this email.

In order to accommodate the additional time needed to mail and receive absentee ballots there have been changes to various election-related deadlines. Changes include the deadline to submit petitions for candidacy, the deadline to submit petitions for Initiatives, and the date of the General Election itself. There are also new deadlines, such as the deadline by which Tribal Members must submit an Absentee Ballot Request Form in order to participate in an election via absentee ballot.

Both the Constitution and the Election Code will be posted on the Tribe’s website under https://www.spokanetribe.com/government/legal/ . These documents may be the first items to be placed online, but the goal is to have the full RSLOC available on the Tribe’s website for public use.

If there are any questions about the Election Calendar or Chapter 32 please contact the Election Committee. The Office of the Spokane Tribe Attorney is also available as a resource for all Tribal Members and we are happy to help however we can.

Thank you.
Jessica Flett
Legal Counsel

Click here for the 2020 Constitution of the Spokane Tribe of Indians (PDF)

Click here for the RSLOC Chapter 32 – Election Code