Chairman voted out in tribal election

The Colville Tribes will soon have a new chairman, as current Chairman Rodney Cawston has been voted out in the recent election for seven Colville Business Council positions. 

Absentee vote tallies were added to poll votes and certified Thursday for a final vote count in the general election for seven of the 14 positions on the CBC, which governs the Colville Confederated Tribes. 

Alison Boyd-Ball defeated Cawston 418 votes to 322 in the race for Nespelem District Position #1.

Cawston was first elected to the council in 2017, becoming chairman in 2018. 

In a close Nespelem District’s Position #2 race, incumbent Jarred Erickson defeated Randy Friedlander with 54 percent of the vote, 396-343. 

In the Keller District, incumbent Jack Ferguson defeated Edward Cohen 149-125 in the Position #1 race.

In the Inchelium District, in the Position #1 race, in which incumbent Joel Boyd didn’t run, Tyler Zacherle-Boyd defeated Michael Finley 302-202. In the Position #2 race, incumbent Roger Finley defeated Chrystal Pakootas 298-208. 

In the Omak District, incumbent Norma “Cate” Sanchez defeated Jim Nanamkin 319-268 in the Position #1 race. In the Position #2 race, incumbent Karen Condon defeated Preston Boyd 321-265.