New chief executive for Mille Lacs Band decided in Minnesota Chippewa Tribe primaries

Virgil Wind was elected chief executive of the nearly 5,000-member tribe in the primary election vote held Tuesday, according to official results released by the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

In a brief statement to MPR News, Wind says he’s honored to have been chosen to lead the Mille Lacs Band.  

“Very grateful, very thankful for community support,” said Wind. “Hopefully the connection we’ve built through this District I office can spread band wide. I really believe it’s through connection that we heal.”

Wind previously served as the Mille Lacs Band’s District I Representative.

Wind won the three-person race with 67.44 percent of the vote. Votes for Samuel Moose totaled 30.64 percent, and Wallace St. John, Sr. claimed the remaining 1.92 percent.

Generally, the two candidates with the greatest number of votes in each race move on to the general election in early June, according to the election rules of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

Under a provision of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe’s elections ordinance, a candidate running in a primary election who receives more than 50 percent of the vote wins the race. In this case, Virgil Wind has been declared the winner in the race for chief executive.

Minnesota Chippewa Tribe primary election results

Each member nation of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe is governed by reservation business committees, also called tribal councils.

The Mille Lacs Band, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and White Earth Nation comprise the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Voters from across each of the MCT’s member tribes voted Tuesday.

Primary results were certified by general elections boards from each nation.

Winners of primary races who did not capture more than 50 percent of the vote advance to the general election on June 11.

The following are the winners of Tuesday’s primary races, according to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. Incumbent candidates have “(I)” designation.

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Indians

Chairperson

• Catherine Chavers (I) — 40.72 percent

• Hannah Lehti-Chosa — 32.22 percent

District 1 Representative

• Perry Drift — 31.45 percent

• Edward Villebrun — 22.18 percent

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Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Chairperson

• Kevin DuPuis, Sr. (I) — 41.43 percent

• Bruce Savage — 38.55 percent

District 1 Committeeperson

• Wally Dupuis (I) — 47.88 percent

• Michelle DeBolt — 18.71 percent

District 3 Committeeperson

• Robert Smith, Sr. (I) — 32.47 percent

• Earl Otis — 29.22 percent

Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Chairperson

• No primary race

Committeeperson

• Marie Spry (I) — 47.79 percent

• William Myers — 31.62 percent

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Chairman

• Faron Jackson (I) — 36.87 percent

• Gerald White — 18.88 percent

District 3 Representative

• Leon Staples, Jr. — 25 percent

• Glen Fisher — 18.80 percent

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Chief Executive

• Virgil Wind — 67.44 percent (Winner, with more than 50 percent of the primary vote)

• Samuel Moose — 30.64 percent

District 1 Representative

• Valerie Sam-Harrington — 28.32 percent

• Carolyn Beaulieu — 27.85 percent

White Earth Nation

Chairperson

• Michael Fairbanks (I) — 46.21 percent

• Eugene “Umsy” Tibbets — 42.49 percent

Election winners will assume office in July.

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