The two top leaders of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians of Michigan are fighting a recall effort in tribal court.

Chairman Ken Harrington and vice chairman Dexter McNamara say opponents failed to gather enough signatures on at least one of the recall petitions. They say the petition against McNamara falls one short of the 20 percent of tribal members who voted in the last election.

According to The Petoskey News-Review, 856 people voted in the last election so 20 percent would be 171.2 people. The petition against Harrington contained 207 signatures while the petition against McNamara contained 193.

The tribal election board verified 184 signatures on the Harrington petition, which appears to be more than enough to meet the 20 percent requirement. The board verified 171 signatures on the McNamara petition, a figure that is now in dispute.

“We have calculated that the 171 number equals only 19.97 percent of the signatures, and this would mean they are one short on Dexter,” Harrington told the paper.

Get the Story:
Tribal leaders ready to fight recall petition signatures in tribal court (The Petoskey News-Review 3/5)

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