The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s general election on Tuesday, June 12, determined Marvin Ray Bruneau as the District II Representative and Wallace Ervin St. John as the District III Representative. Along with Sheldon Boyd, the Mille Lacs Band’s next Secretary-Treasurer, they will be sworn into office in July
Vote totals – District II Representative
Marvin Ray Bruneau – 77 votes
Raina Elaine Killspotted – 63 votes
Total – 140
District II includes Band member communities in Minisinaakwaang (East Lake), Sandy Lake, Minnewawa near McGregor, and Chiminising in Isle on the south side of Mille Lacs Lake. The outgoing District II Representative is David Aubid, who did not seek re-election.
Vote totals – District III Representative
Wallace Ervin St. John – 107 votes
Laureen Gay Davis – 79 votes
Total – 186
District III includes the Aazhoomog (Lake Lena) community near the St. Croix River east of Hinckley, as well as a large community of Band members living in Hinckley. The outgoing District III Representative is Harry Davis, who did not seek re-election.
In accordance with Minnesota Chippewa Tribe election law, any candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary election is declared the winner. Sheldon Boyd was the winner in the Mille Lacs Band Secretary-Treasurer contest in the April primary, and therefore no general election was held in this contest.
These three positions are part of the Mille Lacs Band Assembly, which is the Band’s legislative branch. The Band Assembly consists of one Representative from each of the reservation’s three districts and the Secretary-Treasurer who presides over the Band Assembly as speaker.
The next District I Representative election will be held in 2020, along with the Chief Executive election. Enrolled Band members at least 18 years of age are eligible to vote in tribal elections, and those 21 or older are eligible to run for office.
About the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
The Mille Lacs Reservation is located in east central Minnesota and is the perpetual home of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. The Band supports its members with a variety of services for economic, social and cultural advancement, including health services, early childhood and youth centers, and economic development.