Results of delayed Fort Belknap primary released

The Fort Belknap Indian Reservation held primary tribal elections Tuesday, a week after a record breaking snowstorm forced the tribe to postpone them.

The top two vote-getters in the primaries for tribal president and vice president as well as eight tribal council seats., will advance to the general election scheduled for Nov. 7.

Nikki Kirkaldie of the Fort Belknap election office said Wednesday that no problems were reported at any of the reservation’s four polling places.

Incumbent Mark L. Azure and council member Alvin “Jim” Kennedy finished first in the three-way primary for president and vice president with 520 votes, Andy Werk Jr. and Gerald “Manny” Healy with 414 and Julia Doney candidate and William “Snuffy” Main with 316.

Vice President George Horse Capture did not run for re-election.

Brandi L. King and John A. Allen received 398 and 364 votes, respectively, in the five-candidate race for Assiniboine representative-at-large. David Crasco, Ed “Buster” Moore and Tina Has Eagle finished with 215, 211 and 50 votes, respectively.

In the seven-candidate race for Gros Ventre at-large representative, Philip V. Shortman took 328 votes to 264 for incumbent John K. Hawley. Wesley A. KillEagle Sr. received 204 votes, Toby R. Werk 185, Tanya Cochran 135, Carletta H. Benson 95 and Faith Gone 26.

Assiniboine Representative At Large Curtis Horn received 411 votes and was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

Michael D. Fox and Jeffrey Stiffarm finished the race for Gros Ventre representative-at-large with 255 and 231 votes, respectively. Marlene Werk received 133 votes and Meriah Horseman 79.

In the race for River Assiniboine district representative, Nathaniel “Nate” Mount finished with 126 votes to 116 for incumbent Kyle “Wheels” Bigby. Franklin “Randy” Perez rounded out the field with 109 votes.

Dominic R. Messerly received 215 and Virgil M. Talks Different 160 in the race for River Gros Ventre district representative.

Lynn Cliff Jr. and Lacey A. Philips received 128 and 62 votes, respectively, in the two-candidate race for Mountain Assiniboine representative.

Mountain Gros Ventre District Representative Warren Morin was unopposed in his bid for re-election and received 249 votes.