(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - A special election is scheduled Sunday, November 11th, for Ketchikan Indian Community members to consider eight constitutional amendments as well as hold their annual meeting.  Both events will take place at the Ted Ferry Civic Center.  Polls will be open from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm and the annual meeting is scheduled to start at 1:00 pm and conclude shortly before 7:00 pm.

Harvey Shields leads the Cape Fox Dancers at last year’s annual KIC meeting.
Photograph by Cliff Guthrie, Ketchikan Indian Community

The special election to consider eight constitutional amendments is being held after nearly two years and many hours of work by the Ketchikan Indian Community's Constitution Committee.  After the 2010 annual election KIC was obliged to hold a second election when a 1979 version of their constitution was inadvertently discovered.  At that time it became clear to most that a modernization and reformation of the governing document was needed.

The KIC Tribal Council, sitting as the constitution committee, spent many hours and held numerous public hearings for its members culminating in eight proposition questions which will appear on the ballot.  These propositions range from refinement of jurisdiction language to approving amended bylaws which coincide with the changes in the constitution.

During this special election KIC members will, for the first time, use an electronic ballot scanner much like the State of Alaska and local governments use for its elections.  This will result in quicker tabulation and improved accuracy of the results as well as reduced costs associated with staging an election.  It’s believed that KIC is the first Tribe in Alaska to use electronic ballot scanning for its elections.   There will be no more burning the midnight oil as results will take only moments to tabulate.

The annual meeting is a time for KIC members to receive reports on the financial standing of the Tribe as well as hear reports from the Tribal Council and the Advisory Health Board.  After the business meeting, there will be several dance groups performing; a Chinese Auction for the Dolly Jensen Fund and dinner will be served at 5:00pm hosted by ANB/ANS Camp 14.  Ketchikan Indian Community members who are registered to vote are encouraged to come by the Ted Ferry Civic Center and vote anytime between 8:00am and 8:00pm, however all KIC members are invited to participate in the annual meeting starting at 1:00pm.

On the Web:

2012 Final Draft Constitution -- download by clicking here (PDF)

2012 Final Draft Bylaws -- download by clicking here (PDF)

Source of News & Photograph: 

Ketchikan Indian Community
www.kictribe.org

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