Absentee Ballots Available For Little Shells Scattered, Landless Tribe Of Chippewas Holds Election

Tue., Oct. 20, 1998

By John Craig johnc@spokesman.com

Absentee ballots are available for Spokane-area members of the widely scattered Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, which has five candidates running for three council positions.

The landless Little Shells are on the verge of a federal recognition and have established an office in Great Falls, Mont. They have members scattered throughout the Inland Northwest, including possibly several hundred in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

The candidates in the Nov. 7 tribal election are running at large. The top vote-getters will win a vacant position and two positions in which incumbents are seeking re-election.

Here are sketches of the candidates, provided by tribal election officials:

Incumbent Caroline Fleury of Black Eagle, Mont., who serves on the Personnel and Finance Committee and has been a volunteer worker in the tribal office for several years.

Incumbent Robert Van Gunten, who lives in the Ronan-Polson area of Montana and works for Salish-Kootenai College. He is chairman of the Personnel Committee and serves on the Health, Education and Welfare Committee and the Grant Committee.

Mark Landrie, who lives in the Billings area and works as an office supervisor and bookkeeper. He is chairman of the state Board of Publications and Public Relations, is a Big Horn County parks commissioner and is active in the Naval Reserves.

Alvina Allen, who lives near Harlem, Mont., and is retired from 30 years of work at a government hospital. A high school graduate, Allen is an ambulance service volunteer and a substitute teacher. She serves as a liaison between the council and tribal members in her area.

Henry Anderson, who is a council liaison for the Great Falls-Black Eagle area. A high school graduate and an Army veteran, he has been a truck driver and a mechanic, and now works as a security guard at the Great Falls Airport. He speaks Cree, is active in Chippewa-Cree culture and has been a tribal judge.

To obtain an absentee ballot, tribal members should send the following information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to John LaSalle, Election Committee chairman, Rural Route 1, Box 663, Box Elder, MT 59521: full name, complete mailing address, enrollment number, birth date and signature.

Ballots must be received by the Election Committee no later than Nov. 5.

For more information, contact the tribal office at (406) 452-2892, or by fax at (406) 771-0409.

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