Chief reviews outcome of 2025 tribal election

The 2025 Choctaw Tribal Election cycle results are now official. Incumbent Jess Henry won his District 4 race. District 12 will have a new representative as we welcome Regina Mabray to the Council. There will be a runoff election held in August for the District 5 race, since none of the candidates in that race received the required 50 percent plus 1 or more of the votes.

All five amendments to the Choctaw Constitution failed due to Article XVIII, Amendment, Section 2 of the Constitution of the Choctaw Nation, that says “Adoption of not less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the total number of qualified voters of the Nation voting in the last Chief’s election shall be required to amend this Constitution.” 21,808 tribal members voted in the last Chief’s election on July 11, 2015, and that meant 11,122 votes in the affirmative were required to pass each amendment to the Constitution of the Choctaw Nation. None of the proposed amendments reached the required vote total for approval.

The Proposed Amendments were:

• Amendment 1: Changing the Description of the Reservation Boundaries
• Amendment 2: Removing References to Oklahoma and the Federal Government in Some Parts
• Amendment 3: Removing the Detailed Description of the 12 Council Districts
• Amendment 4: Amend the spelling from Tuskahoma to the original Choctaw spelling of “Tvshka Homma” (the Capitol)
• Amendment 5: Removing the Need for Approval by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior for Amendments

Yakoke Fehna to the Chahta who voted in this election, your vote does count, and you performed a valuable service for your tribe by voicing your opinion. Nothing highlights our ability to remain a strong and sovereign tribe than holding free and fair elections. Holding free and fair elections for the Choctaw Nation is still the best way to steer our path forward for a new generation. The Choctaw Nation will continue to grow in strength and worth if our tribal members help us lead the way.

Yakoke again, to all of you who participated in the 2025 Choctaw Tribal Election, and District 5 voters, please remember to vote next month in the Tribal Council runoff election for your District.

Yakoke and God Bless!