MCK Elections: Results and Reactions

 

Today is Day 1 for the new elected table at the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke. The candidates from Saturday’s election only finding out the results early Sunday morning. and K1037 was live with electoral officer Angus Montour announcing the results from the 1164 ballots cast and 7 spoiled ballots.  Today,  Tobacco ceremony was held  outside the MCK offices to welcome the new council. Outgoing Ohén:ton Í:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer was on hand to lend her support. She served the last 15 years on Council:

“Well, obviously, I was shocked, I’ll say a little disappointed, but I’m always a believer that everything happens for a reason. I’ve given 15 years of my life to this job, to this community and I guess it was time for something different. I’m totally accepting of the outcome and wish the new council and Grand Chief Cody Diabo nothing but good-luck in this next term.”

Ohén:ton Í:iente ne Ratitsénhaienhs, Cody Diabo won with 542 votes:

“We’re going to be a team and we’re going to work forward together, we’re going to be a cohesive council and you know what, leave everything at the door, it’s for community first, so no matter what, everything has to be left at the door and the community has to be the first, that’s the most important going forward.

Gina Deer was second with 343. Incumbent Sky-Deer had 275 votes. All of the incumbents who ran for Ratsisahiens were re-elected, including Ross Montour:

“Anytime  you have a change there, it’s significant, you don’t run for Grand Chief without giving it some thought and I’m sure Cody gave it a lot of thought. So, when you run, you have to have some ideas. Why would anyone vote for me if I was going to be ‘the status-quo,’ or if I was going to be a ‘has-been.’ Obviously, you feel that there needs to be change and I think with the results from the election, you can see that enough of the community felt they wanted a change.”

Arnold Boyer elected to his second straight term:

“It feels great, the numbers really increased. I didn’t expect to hit the 700 mark and I would really like to thank the community for coming out and supporting.”

Jeremiah Johnson, who rejects the new title:

“Sounds terrible, it’s ‘elected official.’ That’s good for the community, because I don’t want to be a politician, I’ll never be a band councilor I’m a community member, a community member who got on council and I’ll stay a community member.”

The other new faces at the table include, Melanie Morrison, Jeffrey and David Diabo and Paul Rice.

As for the official resultsof the 2024 Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke Elections held on Saturday, 6 Ohiarihkó:wa/July, courtesy Electoral Officer Angus L. Montour:

 Total ballots cast: 1164. Total Ballots Spoiled: 7 (Top Portion: 1 Bottom Portion: 4 Both: 2).

 Grand Chief Cody Diabo was elected with 542 votes. Challengers Gina Deer received 343 votes, and Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer received 275 votes.

Those elected as Council Chiefs, and their vote totals, are as follows:

1.                  Ryan Montour (872 votes)

2.                 Tonya Perron (869 votes)

3.                 Melanie Morrison (736 votes)

4.                 Arnold Boyer (714 votes)

5.                 Ross Montour (665 votes)

6.                 Paul Rice (628 votes)

7.                 Stephen A. McComber (548 votes)

8.                David A. Diabo (483 votes)

9.                 lohahi:io Delisle (480 votes)

10.              Jeffrey Diabo (455 votes)

11.               Jeremiah Johnson (406 votes)

 

The candidates who were unsuccessful are as follows:

12.              Joshua Mayo (397 votes)

13.              Niihawennah Lahache McComber (364 votes)

14.              Marnie Jacobs (342 votes)

15.              Blue Sky (115 votes)

16.              Carla J. Diabo (95 votes)

17.              Myles McComber (82 votes)

18.              Robert Kennedy Jr (17 votes)