Four tribal council seats headed to primary elections

Four out of seven positions are up for election on the Colville Business Council that will go through the primary process to narrow down each race to just two candidates before the general election in June.

The CBC is the governing body of the Colville Tribes with 14 positions total for the council, and seven up for re-election each year.

There are four positions each in the Inchelium, Nespelem, and Omak districts, and two positions in the Keller district.

This year, races going through the primary process include: Inchelium Position #2 between incumbent Richard A. Swan Sr, Cody Peone, Lee Adolph, and Doug Seymore; Nespelem District Position #1 between incumbent and current chairman Andy Joseph Jr, Lily “Teen” Stanger, and Corby Turner; Omak District Position #1 between incumbent Virgil Marchand, Angela Davis, and Shirley K. Charley; and Omak Position #2 between incumbent Dustin Best, Michael E. Marchand, and Preston Boyd. 

Absentee ballots were mailed out on April 8. Poll site voting will take place on May 7, to be certified on May 9. Absentee ballots will be certified May 12. 

The general election will take place on June 18 for poll site voting, certified on June 21. Absentee votes will be certified June 23. 

The primaries will narrow all the races down to two candidates before the general election. 

Additional races that don’t require a primary because they are already down to two candidates are for Nespelem District Position #2 between incumbent Shar Zacherle and former chairman Rodney Cawston; Inchelium District Position #1 between incumbent Marvin Kheel and Cindy Marchand; and Keller District Position #1 between incumbent Joseph L. Somday and Patrick Tonasket.