Elections

About Elections

Tribal Council for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon adopted uniform procedures for the holding of Tribal Elections. On January 27, 2014 Tribal Council approved an amendment and enacted Ordinance No. 44 – Elections. This ordinance contains twenty-nine sections outlining procedures for holding Tribal elections.

Tribal Council establishes date, place and hours during which polls shall be open. Tribal Council posts notices of election not less than ten (10) days prior to election, in at least three public places. A voter list is prepared by the Vital Statistics Department from the Tribal roll.  The list shows the district in which each voter has voted in the past to the best ability of the Vital Stats Department. The department also maintains a current voter list which is available for inspection at any time during normal business hours. Any person may, at any time, change the district by filling out the district change form. Any registration change must be filed more than sixty (60) days prior to any election in order to be effective for that particular election.

An election board of three members and one alternate is appointed by Tribal Council for each polling place. It is their duty to supervise the election, ensure all eligible voters have an opportunity to vote in their district, and that no persons whose names are not on the voter list for that district votes.

Tribal Council also appoints four persons to a counting board who count all ballots delivered to them by the election board and delivers all ballots, along with a certified list of results, to Tribal Council and the Superintendent.

Mission

To provide uniform procedures for the holding of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Tribal Elections.

Who is Eligible?

Tribal members, under 21 and married, or are 21 years of age or older.

Commonly Asked Questions

Why is my name not on the list?  Contact Vital Stats at (541) 553-3252 to inquire and complete the necessary steps to be on the list.

What do I do if my last name is incorrect (referring to marriage status)? Contact Vital Statistics to correct name.

What do I do if I did not receive a ballot?  Contact Vital Stats to find out what address they have on file and make any necessary changes.

If I have a disabled person in my car, may I take a ballot out to them?  No, but an Election member will take it out to them.

What if I have no transportation or a disabled person at home?  We will take their name and send a runner to their home with a ballot.

What do I do if I made a mistake on my ballot? Mark it as invalid and get another ballot from the election board.

What if a Tribal Member is on the absentee list, but they show up to vote in person?  Election staff will verify if they have already voted or not. If not, they will be allowed to vote and they will be referred to Vital Stats to correct their address.

What do I do if I’m listed in the wrong district?  Refer to Vital Stats to correct your information for future elections.