Ketchikan Indian Community’s clinic and administration building on Tongass Avenue is shown in 2013. (KRBD)
The makeup of Ketchikan Indian Community’s Tribal Council is unchanged after Monday’s elections at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. Incumbents Norman Skan, Melissa Johnson and Charles “Chas” Edwardson emerged victorious in a field of eight candidates.
Skan and Johnson each secured just over 200 votes with Edwardson about 50 votes behind. Each of the three incumbents won another three-year term. Debi White was the only challenger to score more than 100 votes.
The council will select its president, vice president and other officers on Jan. 24.
Some 404 people cast ballots in the election, down about 13% from last year. Ketchikan Indian Community Communications Manager Mischa Chernick said in an email that all tribal members 18 and older are eligible to vote, but a voter turnout figure was not immediately available.
The Tribal Council is the governing body that represents the roughly 6,000 Ketchikan Indian Community members.
An incumbent and a challenger won seats on KIC’s Advisory Health Board, a body that advises the Tribal Council on health care policy. Kim Wilson came in first with more than 230 votes. Roberta Hull won the other two-year term, roughly 20 votes behind. Incumbent board chair Sharyl Yeisley was defeated, earning roughly 170 votes.
