Cda Tribe Re-Elects 2 Women Peone, Zarate Win 3-Year Terms On Coeur D’Alene Tribal Council

Two incumbents have won re-election to the Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribal Council.

Councilwomen Norma J. Peone, 43, and Marjorie Matheson Zarate, 42, both of Plummer, were elected to new three-year terms.

Tribal communications director Donna Matheson said election workers tallied ballots throughout the night Saturday.

The results:

Zarate: 118 votes.

Peone: 90.

John M. Abraham Jr.: 79.

Alfred M. Nomee: 57.

Peter Frank SiJohn: 51.

Sylvia D. Baheza: 43.

Roy L. Peone: 23.

Results weren’t available on two other votes: retaining tribal Judge Wanda Miles and a referendum on the tribe’s effort to keep Indian-owned land from being inherited by non-Indians.

Norma Peone is a 12-year council veteran. She is the tribe’s employment rights officer. Born on the Colville Indian Reservation, Peone was raised in Ford, Wash., on the Spokane Indian Reservation. She returned to the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in 1973.

She has said her key issues are the tribe’s effort to buy more reservation land, clean up Lake Coeur d’Alene and push ahead with the National Indian Lottery, which would raise millions for the 1,300-member tribe.

Zarate has served on the council for three years. Born in Tacoma, she was raised on the nearby Puyallup Indian Reservation. She moved to the Coeur d’Alene Reservation 24 years ago.

Since 1990, Zarate has been the chief executive officer for the tribe’s development corporation. When corporation matters come before the tribal council, she said, she abstains from voting or leaves the room to avoid a conflict of interest.

Zarate served as lead negotiator with the Colorado-based company managing the National Indian Lottery. She is the sister of Donna Matheson and tribal gaming director Dave Matheson.

Zarate says she’ll push for more law enforcement, better social services, protecting tribal culture and more tribal jobs.