A record number of Wrangell Cooperative Association members came out to vote for four members of the tribal council, the governing body of the Native organization.
Esther Aaltséen Reese, the tribal administrator for WCA, said 168 members, or 41.6% of 403 eligible voters, voted in this year’s election on Feb. 28, the most they’ve had turn out. The WCA has 887 members, but only those 18 years and older are eligible to vote.
Seven tribal members ran for the four vacant seats on the eight-person council. The winners, Sandy Churchill, Luella Knapp, Jason Clark and Timothy Gillen, will serve a two-year team each. Kapp and Clark were re-elected to the council.
Robyn Byrd, Amber Wade and Sam Campus also ran for the seats.
“I was really happy that we had our largest turnout for voting ever,” Reese said. “It was great to see tribal citizens turn out and vote for those candidates they felt would serve them best.”
First-time council member Churchill was thankful to those who voted for her. She said her leadership skills and input “will be used wisely … for the people of Wrangell.”
The election, which took place at the WCA cultural center on Front Street, was also a chance to reach out to members in other ways.
Reese said as part of a COVID assistance application last year, members stated they needed pressure cookers. Because of delays caused by the pandemic, the pressure cookers weren’t received until a few days before the election. Staff were able to distribute the pressure cookers at the election. “The pressure cookers were part of our traditional food sovereignty and security program,” she said.
IGAP staff were also able at the polling place to engage members in their environmental survey being conducted, which members can still participate in by getting the form off Facebook or visiting or calling the WCA office.
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