Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation voters weigh their candidate options in the tribes' general election Nov. 14, 2023, at the Nixyaawii Governance Center in Mission.

MISSION — In the biennial elections for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Board of Trustees and General Council, voters kept six people in their seats and elected six new members.

Gary I. Burke is the new board chair, replacing Kathryn Brigham, who has served in the role since 2019. Burke has previously served as chairman, but lost to Brigham in the last two elections. Burke won this year with 371 votes to Brigham’s 338, according to a press release from the CTUIR.

The rest of the board will be Aaron Ashley, an incumbent, as vice chair; Raymond Huesties, replacing Sandra Samson as treasurer; Roberta J. Wilson as the new secretary instead of Sally Kosey; Steven Hart, a newly elected board member at large; and incumbent members at large Toby Patrick, Corrine Sames and Lisa Ganuelas.

The board of trustees is the main governing body for the tribes. The general council is made up of tribal members over 18 and is led by elected officers, who help represent the general council’s interests and run monthly meetings.

General Council Chair Lindsay Watchman did not seek reelection. Two candidates vied for the position, with Alan Crawford winning 395-254 over write-in Boots Pond.

The rest of the general council will be Michael Ray Johnson, the vice chair incumbent who ran unopposed, and Martina Gordon, a secretary write-in, who won over another write-in, Shawna Gavin. Another challenge of write-in candidates led to the election of Thomas Morning Owl as the council’s interpreter over Fred Hill Sr.

The 12 elected members will serve in their respective positions for at least the next two years. There is no limit to the number of terms they can serve.

The officials will take office at 9 a.m. on Nov. 29 in a public ceremony at the Nixyaawii Governance Center.