President loses Belknap primary

The results of the primary election for the governing council of the Fort Belknap Indian Community are in, with a major shakeup of sitting council members in the works.

The incumbent president and vice president — Tracy “Ching” King and Mel Lorraine Adams Doney, respectively — took third and will not advance to the general election Nov. 5.

Mark L. Azure and George Horse Capture Jr. were the top candidates in the president and vice president race with 333 votes. Incumbent council members Donovan Archambault Sr. and Wesley Kill Eagle Sr. came in second with 285 votes.

King and Doney took third with 229 votes.

In the Fort Belknap primaries, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election.

Rounding out the president and vice president race were John A. Allen and incumbent council member Michael D. “Gopher” Fox with 190 votes, Kermit Horn and Harlan Mount with 187 and John K. Hawley and Daniel J. “Dan” Horn with 140 votes.

In the Assiniboine At-Large position voted on by both tribes, Franklin “Randy” Perez and Christopher A. “Smiley” Gardipee Jr. advanced with 542 and 352 votes, respectively, while Virginia “Ginny” Smith and Ivan J. Wing Sr. received 240 and 216, respectively.

In the Assiniboine At-Large position voted on only by Assiniboine voters, both candidates advanced.

Curtis Horn received 375 votes while incumbent Ed “Buster” Moore received 234.

In the Gros Ventre At-Large position voted on by both tribes, Phillip V. Shortman received 315 votes and Gena Levaldo received 212.

Filling out that race, Ken Morin received 194 votes, Jay Willie Mount received 181, Virgil “Michael” Talks Different 132, Ruben Horseman Sr. 124, Carletta Benson 99 and Florence V. “Torchy” Matte 92.

In the Gros Ventre At-Large voted on by Gros Ventre only, Alvin “Jim” Kennedy and Harold “Jiggs” Main advanced with 274 and 204 votes, respectively, while Moriss E. “Davey” Belgarde received 190 and Joan Talks Different Johnson 130.

In the River Assiniboine race, incumbent Gerald “Manny” Healy and Richard K. “Rick” Weasel advanced with 174 and 98 votes, respectively, while Donald L. “Duck” Horn received 65.

In the River Gros Ventre race, incumbent Patricia “Patty” Quisno and Virginia “Carol” Kindness advance with 157 and 85 votes, respectively. Rounding out that race were Arlene Healy-Cochrane with 83 votes and Marilyn R. Bigby with 75.

In the Mountain Assiniboine race, Max G. White Jr. and David Crisco advanced with each candidate receiving 76 votes. In that race, Brian Wing Sr. just missed advancing with 75 votes, while Wesley “Bell” Main Sr. received 54.

In the Mountain Gros Ventre race, Ronald “Fudd” Stiffarm advanced with 123 votes, as did Warren David Morin with 98. Tim Werk received 89 votes in that race and Patti Jo Carrywater received 79.