SKEWED BALLOTS

SOON KEN DAVISON WILL HAVE HIS CASE ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF HIS VOTE HEARD IN THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL COURT. HE CONTENDS HIS BALLOT WAS VALID AND LEGAL. HE VOTED FOR THREE POSITIONS AND THE ELECTION ORDINANCE REQUIRED THAT HE VOTE FOR ALL FOUR POSITIONS THAT WERE OPEN ON THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS. HE STATED THAT NOT COUNTING HIS LEGAL BALLOT THAT THE TOTAL VOTE COUNT WAS INCORRECT.

THE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE ELECTION COMMITTEE (TRIBAL COUNCIL) STATED THAT EVEN IF KEN DAVISON'S BALLOT HAD BEEN COUNTED IT WOULD NOT HAVE EFFECTED THE RESULTS. HE IS CORRECT THAT EVEN IF ALL THE VOTES THAT WERE NOT COUNTED IT WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED THE RESULTS OF THIS ELECTION, HOWEVER WHAT ABOUT FUTURE ELECTIONS?

FIRST THE VERY PRACTICE OF MAKING THE VOTER DO SOMETHING THAT HE DOES NOT WANT TO DO HAS TO BE A VIOLATION OF HIS CIVIL RIGHTS. IN THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS (UNITED STATES), THE FIFTY STATE GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS YOU ARE NOT FORCED TO DO WHAT THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO DO. THE REASON, IT IS ILLEGAL IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IS BECAUSE THE VERY PRACTICE OF MAKING SOMEONE VOTE THE ENTIRE TICKET KEEPS MINORITY GROUPS DOWN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS DONE IN THE SOUTHERN STATES OF THE UNITED STATES TO KEEP BLACK (AFRICAN AMERICAN )VOTERS FROM ELECTING OTHER BLACK PEOPLE.

THERE WERE OTHER SKEWED VOTES BESIDES THE SEVEN VOTES THAT WERE NOT COUNTED BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY DID NOT VOTE FOR ENOUGH [POSITIONS ON THE BALLOT TO HAVE THEIR VOTE COUNTED. . THE VERY FACT THAT TRIBAL MEMBERS HAD TO VOTE FOR PEOPLE THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO VOTE FOR TO HAVE THEIR BALLOTS COUNTED, SKEWED THOSE BALLOTS ALSO. IF THE VERY PRACTICE OF HAVING TO VOTE THE ENTIRE TICKET WAS NOT IN PLACE, THE ENTIRE VOTE COUNT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT. THE PRACTICE (LAW) SKEWED THE ELECTION RESULTS.

IT IS A BAD ORDINANCE, THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. IT VIOLATES THE INTENT OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBES CONSTITUTION. HOPEFULLY KEN DAVISON'S LAWSUIT WILL PREVAIL. THERE IS SOMETHING MORALLY WRONG WITH BEING FORCED TO DO SOMETHING AGAINST ONE'S WILL. IT IS A VIOLATION OF NOT JUST THE SEVEN VOTES THAT WERE NOT COUNTED BUT ALL MOHEGAN TRIBAL MEMBERS.

IF SOMETHING IS LEGAL IN THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THEN WHY IS LEGAL IN THE MOHEGAN NATION? I REALIZE THAT WE ARE A SOVEREIGN NATION AND CAN DO WHAT WE WANT AS FAR ELECTION LAWS. IS IT AN UNFAIR A LAW? SHOULD IT BE CHANGED? WHAT DO YOU THINK? MAYBE WE SHOULD TELL THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS AND THE TRIBAL COUNCIL HOW WE FEEL ON THIS ISSUE.