The results of a recount in the race for Birdtown Tribal Council sent shock waves through Cherokee from the moment they were announced Sept. 13.

Cherokee voters delivered a clear message to the sitting Tribal Council when they cast their votes in the General Election Thursday, Sept. 7 — they want change.

If Election Day interviews conducted with Cherokee voters swinging by Food Lion the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 7, are any indication, anti-incumbent sentiment had a big part to play in the outcomes of the 12 Tribal Council races on the ballot that day.

A Tribal Council resolution calling for a special election to choose the next Vice Chief sat, unsigned, in the office of Principal Chief Richard Sneed since its passage Aug. 3 — until Sneed announced his decision to veto the decision on Monday, Sept. 4.

With the election for Cherokee Tribal Council just one week away, The Smoky Mountain News continues its series profiling the 24 candidates running for election to one of 12 Tribal Council seats.

There’s still no guarantee whether a special election will be held to choose the next vice chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, but that hasn’t stopped at least five people from announcing their intention to run for the seat.

The 2017 General Election will choose the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ next slate of Tribal Council representatives following Election Day on Thursday, Sept. 7.

Election Day is drawing ever nearer for Cherokee Tribal Council, with all 12 seats up for election Thursday, Sept. 7.

Cherokee came one step closer last week to having a special election to fill the vacant vice chief’s seat, but the resolution narrowly passed by Tribal Council still needs a signature from Principal Chief Richard Sneed to become effective.

A needle exchange program will likely be underway in Cherokee by the end of the year following Tribal Council’s unanimous vote to write the existence of such a program into its code.