Polls across the Flathead Reservation were open all day on Dec. 13 to fill the five seats open on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Tribal Council.  

Three incumbents retained their positions – Tom McDonald, Len TwoTeeth and Carol Depoe Lankford – while Jennifer Finley and Jim Malatare lost their respective races, according to final results posted on Dec. 17. 

Certified results show the following tallies: 

At-large: Incumbent Tom McDonald, 775; Sam Barnaby, 542.  

Arlee: Incumbent Jim Malatare, 600; Greg Dumontier, 717.  

Elmo: Incumbent Len TwoTeeth, 787; Louis-Junior-Caye, 541.   

Polson: Incumbent Jennifer Finley, 560; Jami Pluff, 754.  

Ronan: Incumbent Carole J. Depoe Lankford, 709; Ronald A Couture, 602.   

While Lankford (Ronan), TwoTeeth (Elmo) and Dumontier (Arlee) lost their individual districts by 15 votes or less, each handily won the overall tally by sizable margins. 

The winners will be sworn in at the quarterly meeting on Friday, Jan. 2. The sitting 10 council members will vote amongst themselves for the officer positions of Chair/Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

   Elder Shirley Trahan casts her vote at the Mission Salish Senior Center on Saturday, Dec. 13. (Emily Messer/Leader)