Chukchansi Tribe announces open enrollment period after years of mass purges

Tuesday, October 3, 2017  

The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians is holding an open enrollment period after removing hundreds of people from its rolls, The Sierra Star reports.

The paper contacted the tribe to find out whether people who were disenrolled are eligible to re-apply for citizenship. But no response was received before packages starting being mailed out on Monday.

The tribe at one point had more than 1,000 people on the rolls. But more than half have been kicked out as rival factions fought for control of the council on the reservation in northern California.

The confusion led the Bureau of Indian Affairs to withhold funding from the tribe. The National Indian Gaming Commission even ordered the tribe to shut down its casino due to lack of leadership.

The tribe has since reopened the casino and reformed its council, with an annual election taking place on Saturday, The Star reported. Four incumbents are seeking re-election, the paper said.

The open enrollment was announced on the tribe's Facebook page.

Read More on the Story:
Chukchansi tribe, in rare move, to hold open enrollment days before council election (The Sierra Star October 1, 2017)