Ute incumbent challenges loss

FORT DUCHESNE, Uintah County — One of two incumbent members of the Ute Indian Tribe's governing body, who lost his bid to retain his seat, is challenging the election results.

Elliot Ridley Eaglechief lost in Tuesday's general election by 37 votes to Frances Poowegup. He now says the contest was unfair because the ballot listed Poowegup's military rank of sergeant before her name. Poowegup is reportedly registered on tribal rolls as Sgt. Frances Poowegup.

Ridley Eaglechief is protesting because he believes that voters were unduly swayed to cast their ballot for his opponent when they saw her military title.

Poowegup served in the army, retiring with the title of sergeant after 20 years. Ridley Eaglechief himself changed his name not too long ago, adding Eaglechief — a name that is not common among Utes.

"The challenge diminishes Frances' service to this country," said her legal counsel, Sandy Hansen. "Why can he run on a made-up name and Frances can't run on a title bestowed upon her by the armed services of the United States in recognition of her service to our country, our Constitution and our freedoms?"

Election watchers say they believe the reason behind Ridley Eaglechief's challenge is because Poowegup was outspoken in her opposition to the current Business Committee's reliance on controversial financial advisor John Jurrius.

Poowegup, who will represent the White River band, served on the Business Committee in the 1990s after her brother, Gary Poowegup, passed away about two years into his four-year term. She defeated Ridley Eaglechief 112 to 76.

In the Uintah Band, former Business Committee member Irene Cuch, who served as a Business Committee member in the 1980s and 1990s, defeated incumbent Fabian Jenks.

Jenks and Ridley Eaglechief were both elected to the tribe's governing board following the controversial ouster in October 2003 of Business Committee members Ron Wopsock and Luke Duncan. Wopsock and Duncan have pending lawsuits arguing that they were illegally removed from the committee. The two were expelled after filing a lawsuit against the Bureau of Indian Affairs questioning its oversight of tribal funds spent by Jurrius.

Duncan and Wopsock were nominated to run as candidates in this week's election but could not due to an ordinance their counterparts passed after their ouster that prevents anyone removed from elected office for running for four years. The two are also seeking relief from the federal courts in that matter.