Unofficial results of the Cherokee Nation election for principal chief probably won't be known until Wednesday, The Muskogee Phoenix reports.

Ballots are being accepted until tomorrow under a court agreement involving the Cherokee Freedmen, who are the descendants of former slaves. The election commission anticipates the counting process will take three days, so the results will come later than expected.

Certified results of the race between Chad Smith, who was the incumbent, or Bill John Baker, a tribal councilor, are expected on Friday.

Get the Story:
Ballot count to take three days (The Muskogee Phoenix 10/6)
Carter Center Democracy Program oversees CN election (The Cherokee Phoenix 10/7)
AG investigation clears Smith of accusations (The Cherokee Phoenix 10/7)
Black Cherokees Lose 13th Amendment Battle (Courthouse News Service 10/6)

An Opinion:
Don Stroud: Cherokee leaders have oath to uphold (The Muskogee Phoenix 10/6)

Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Decision:
Cherokee Nation Registrar v. Nash (August 22, 2011)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Greed and racism with removal of Cherokee Freedmen (10/6)
Cherokee Nation extends balloting in ongoing Freedmen dispute (9/28)
Cherokee Nation faces contempt order in Freedmen vote dispute (9/27)
Cherokee Nation sees increase in turnout for second election (9/26)
Results of Cherokee Nation principal chief vote due October 10 (9/23)
Column: Freedmen dispute a sad story for the Cherokee Nation (9/23)
Letter: Cherokee Freedmen dustup about sovereignty not race (9/23)
Judge approves order for Freedmen vote in Cherokee election (9/22)
Cherokee Nation allows Freedmen to vote in Saturday's election (9/21)
Federal judge to hear arguments in Cherokee Freedmen lawsuit (9/20)
NPR: Cherokee Nation facing scrutiny for ousting the Freedmen (9/20)
Cherokee Nation starts sending provisional ballots to Freedmen (9/16)
NYT: Tribal rights vs. racial justice in Cherokee Freedmen battle (9/16)
Blog: Rush Limbaugh offers take on Cherokee Freedmen dispute (9/16)
Steve Russell: The circus that has become the Cherokee Nation (9/15)
Cherokee Nation to allow Freedmen to cast provisional ballots (9/15)
Editorial: Cherokee Nation faces pressure on fate of Freedmen (9/15)
Acting Cherokee Nation chief vows to protect tribe's interests (9/14)
BIA warns Cherokee Nation about disenrollment of Freedmen (9/13)
Lawmakers want HUD to restore funding to Cherokee Nation (9/12)
HUD won't release funds to Cherokee Nation in Freedmen flap (9/8)
Judge sets hearing on Freedmen motion for Cherokee election (9/6)
Freedmen eye lawsuit in federal court over Cherokee election (8/30)
Freedmen seek appeal for loss of Cherokee Nation citizenship (8/29)
Jay Tavare: Divide and conquer -- disenrollment among tribes (8/25)
Turtle Talk: Tribal courts, treaty rights and treaty rights disputes (8/25)
Cherokee Freedmen lose right to vote in upcoming chief election (8/24)
Decision allows Cherokee Nation to remove Freedmen from rolls (8/23)Steve Russell: The circus that has become the Cherokee Nation (9/15)