"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokee Nation Council Passes Law

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma - The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council formalized an existing policy by passing a law requiring voter registration forms for both Cherokee Nation and the state of Oklahoma to be available at all tribal tag agencies.

“We wanted to bring higher voter participation and give people more opportunities to register to vote,” said Buel Anglen, who represents Tulsa and Washington counties on the Tribal Council.

“We feel it is very important for our citizens who get services from the Cherokee Nation to be engaged in the voting process as well,” said Cara Cowan Watts, who represents Rogers County on the Tribal Council.

“We already make these forms available at our tag offices and health clinics, so the legislation affirms the commitment of the legislative branch to doing this as well,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Any time we can get more citizens involved in our elections, we want to do it.”

The council also passed an amendment to the Cherokee Nation’s budget and approved resolutions authorizing grant applications for energy efficiency and youth shelter programs.

The council also affirmed fourteen resolutions passed in a joint council meeting with the Eastern Band of Cherokees in North Carolina, including a resolutions opposing state recognition of tribes in several states. The entire meeting can be seen on the Cherokee Nation web site. The next Tribal Council meeting is scheduled for June 15, 2009, at 6 p.m. at the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah.