Voters of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota have elected a new chairman who is not a convict.

Ken Davis beat Ron Peltier with 1,919 votes to 1,819 votes.

Peltier's candidacy had been the subject of dispute because he was convicted of a misdemeanor 20 years ago. The tribal membership adopted an amendment barring anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony from office.

The tribe's outgoing chairman tried to halt the election but a judge allowed it. The judge also said Peltier could run because the amendment couldn't be applied retroactively.

Get the Story:
Turtle Mountain Band elects Ken Davis as tribal chairman (AP 11/4)

Relevant Links:
Turtle Mountain Chippewa - http://turtlemountainchippewa.com

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