Certification process boots three candidates from tribal election

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Certification process boots three candidates from tribal election

Three candidates were dropped from the list of contenders for tribal office with today's release of a list of certified canddiates from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Board of Elections. The list of certified candidates did not include Teresa McCoy and Missy Crowe, who had both filed to run for principal chief, or Sharon Bradley, who wanted to run for Big Y School Board.

According to tribal law, a tribal member can be disqualified for running for office for any of six reasons. Those reasons include having committed a felony, participating in defrauding the tribe, being impeached and removed from office, resigning from a tribal office while under a criminal investigation, being more than 90 days in default of a debt to the tribe or not meeting residency requirements.

McCoy and Crowe have both gained certification to run for election in the past. McCoy represented Big Cove on Tribal Council for 20 years and also launched three unsuccessful runs for the vice chief's office. Crowe has run for various offices in the past, though unsuccessfully.

Certified candidates for the 2019 election are: