Several residents have formally appealed the recent Kehewin Cree Nation elections for council and chief, stating in written appeals irregularities took place because they were not given notice of the nomination meeting or asked for identification when voting.
Allegations of vote buying have also arisen. However, these claims could not be substantiated by the Nouvelle.
According to Kehewin's Custom Election Act, notice of the nomination meeting for band council elections must be mailed to each voting member at least 20 days in advance.
Band members voted in a new council March 21 and went to the polls again a week later to elect a chief. Gordon Alger was the electoral officer for the elections.
Alger would not comment on the appeals when contacted by the Nouvelle. He said he did not know how long the investigation would take.
Alger's election report stated notices were mailed to off-reserve members, explained Kehewin Coun. Richelle Badger. It did not mention whether on-reserve members were supposed to receive a mailed notice, she added.
“But for sure there was supposed to be notices mailed to off-reserve, and as far as I know, as far as people are concerned, off-reserve members did not receive any confirmation in the mail,” she said.
Badger confirmed she was not asked for ID when she voted.
When she arrived to vote for council, Badger said there were two ballot boxes sealed with masking tape and three peoples' initials on the box.
When Badger asked about whose initials were on the ballot box, she was told they belong to Alger and the first two voters on election day, whose names weren't known.
“Personally, I did have a few questions for him (Alger) when I went to go vote, in terms of the ballot box,” she said. “They couldn't tell me who signed it.”
Badger said she understands why people have appealed the election results and how there were flaws in the process.
But the responsibility lies with the paid electoral officer, not chief, council, or band members, said Badger.
Recently elected chief Eric Gadwa would not comment on the allegations when contacted by the Nouvelle. Numerous attempts to contact other members of Kehewin band council were also unsuccessful.
In written appeals, several voting members state they did not receive any notice in the mail about the nomination meeting and were not asked for identification when they voted.
Norman Gladue told the Nouvelle when he asked Alger why he didn't ask for ID and how he knew who he was, Alger replied, “I can trust you, you're a trustworthy person.”
According to Kehewin's Custom Election Act, chief and council shall request Tribal Police or RCMP to be present during voting.
“That's the first time I've seen in my entire life,” an election at Kehewin where there were not any police officers or elders present to watch over the election, said Violet Gladue.
Badger said to her knowledge, it is the electoral officer's role to oversee the election.
“It's his responsibility to ensure that the custom election act is followed, so whether or not it wasn't followed, that's his onus, not anybody else's.”
Bonnyville RCMP detachment commander Staff Sgt. Luis Gandolfi said it is not within the detachment's mandate to monitor Kehewin's election and the only reason police would attend would be to maintain public order.
According to Kehewin's Custom Election Act, any appeals of the election must be made in writing to the elections officer within 30 days of the election. The elections officer may do whatever is reasonably necessary to answer the appeal and must provide a written response within seven days. The decision of the elections officer is binding and final.
