The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota put Cecilia Fire Thunder back on the ballot after incumbent president Alex White Plume was removed for an old felony conviction.

White Plume received the most votes in the primary. But the election board disqualified him on Friday after finding out that he pleaded guilty to an assault charge in federal court in 1982.

Tribal law prohibits felons from holding office. White Plume has appealed the ruling and says he does not have a felony conviction on his record. A hearing started Sunday and will continue today.

If White Plume can't get on the ballot, Fire Thunder will face John Yellow Bird Steele in the election on Tuesday. Thunder had come in third in the primary. She was ousted from office during her first term as president for speaking against the state's highly restrictive abortion law

Get the Story:
Tribe continues appeal hearing for White Plume (The Rapid City Journal 11/6)
Tribal elections board drops president White Plume from ballot (The Rapid City Journal 11/4)
White Plume appeals ballot decision (The Rapid City Journal 11/5)

Relevant Links:
Oglala Sioux Tribe - http://www.lakotamall.com/oglalasiouxtribe

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