Posted 3/16/26

Tribal Membership,
You will be receiving a letter from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) with a corrected Registration packet explaining to you about a technical error that occurred causing changes to the color of text to some areas of the document BIA sent and the corrective measures the Secretarial Election Board took to remedy this error. This error was created by a technical glitch from the software used by the vendor from the BIA in which no words were changed in the documents, only colors were transposed in areas of blue and red text. All information from the Tribe has been consistent.

3. What is a Secretarial Election
A Federal Election facilitated by the BIA to amend our Tribes Constitution. This is currently required by our Tribe’s Constitution. All aspects of the Election are governed by BIA regulations, and all activities of this Election will be conducted by the Secretarial Election Board. Every enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, 18 years or older who registers by Election Day with the BIA is eligible to vote.

5. March 8, 2026, Good of Tribe Question and Answer Session Summary
A meeting for a question-and-answer session was held on Sunday, March 8, 2026, where members were notified to attend and ask questions. Both in person and Zoom options were available. Those in attendance are identified below.
Council: Chief Doug Barrett, Brad Kneaper, Teresa Spangler, Julie Siestreem, Ashley Russell, and Debbie Bossley (6) council present; Iliana Montiel was excused due to travel.
Staff: Brian Dubray, Lee Ann Wander, Lorin Krossman, Meagan Davenport, Jeannie Miller, and Rick Eichstaedt (6) staff present
Membership in Person: Howard Roy, Judy Berg, Arleen Perkins, Dick Clarkson, Tyler Slyter, Sara Marical, Mark Petrie, Richard Slossen IN PERSON (8) Attended in Person (5) asked questions in person.
Membership Online: Earla Kirk, Angela Henry, Ashley Vandevort, Brenda Brainard, Courtney Krossman, Dan Krossman, Enna Helms, Justin Krossman, Kerry Brainard, Kimberlie Krossman, Kyle Gaines, Mea Macy, Mike Lent, Nicole Romine, Patty Phillips, Roseana Perry, Sophia Cisneros, Stephanie Watkins, Wendy Garcia VIA ZOOM: (8) Asked questions online. (19) attended online. Full video available on the Tribes website when approved.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE SECRETARIAL ELECTION BOARD & REVISED ELECTION TIMELINE
By Lorin Krossman
1. What is a Secretarial Election Board
A Board required by the BIA, established by Resolution to facilitate the timeline of all activity of the Secretarial Election. Its members are Lorin Krossman, Enrollment Specialist; Mark Petrie, Tribal Member; Jeannie Miller, Administrative Support Manager and Bobbi Mollenberg, BIA staff serving as Secretarial Election Board Chair. The Secretarial Election Board has held several meetings to establish activity; recent meetings were held due to an error in the BIA processes were discussed. The need to extend the period of activity while a correction was sent to all voting membership was determined necessary.

2. REVISED Election Timeline - APRIL 28, 2026, Election Day

March 30, 2026: REGISTRATION DEADLINE all registration forms need to be received by the BIA via USPS.

April 2, 2026: The deadline to Challenge. If you are not on the list, you may submit a challenge in writing to the Secretarial Election Board Chairman by this date. We have an email for this process. The Registered List will be published at the BIA NW Regional Office, Portland Oregon and the Tribal Gov. Office in Coos Bay (including all other Tribal Government Offices and the Tribe’s website).

April 3, 2026: The Final Registered Voter’s list will be published.

April 3, 2026: Ballots will be mailed by the BIA to every member registered to vote.

3. How to Vote
This Election will be conducted by sealed, mail-in ballot envelopes only; no in-person poll site voting will be allowed per regulations of the BIA. Tribal members must vote using the ballots sent to them by marking each of the seven (7) Proposed Amendments, either FOR or AGAINST, placing the ballot in the envelope provided, and sealing the ballot mailing envelope completely. You must complete the certification on the back side of the mailout ballot envelope by printing and signing your name.

There are three (3) options provided to return your completed, sealed ballot mailing envelope:

Option #1. April 3, 2026 – April 24, 2026 (Friday): In-Person Ballot Drop Off Option Period. If you are able, you may return your completed, sealed signed ballot mailing envelope via an “in-person” drop off option during this time period at any Tribal Government Office in Coos Bay, Eugene, or Florence, during regular business hours, in a locked box, clearly marked “Secretarial Election Drop Off Ballot Box.” The last date for this option in Florence and Eugene ONLY is Friday, April 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. The last date for this option in Coos Bay ONLY is Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (Tuesday) at 4:00 p.m.

Option #2. April 28, 2026, by 4:00 p.m. (Tuesday): Ballot Envelope Mail Option Deadline. If you must mail your ballots via United States Postal Service (USPS), they MUST be Received (not postmarked) by this deadline. They are required to be sent in the postage pre-paid envelope provided to the P.O. BOX in Coos Bay, Oregon. We cannot control USPS timeline processes, so please mail your ballot early. You MUST complete, seal, sign and mail your ballot envelope promptly, to ensure they are included in the voter tabulation process.

Option #3. April 28, 2026, Election Day, (Tuesday): The Final In-Person Drop Off Option. You may also return your completed, sealed, signed ballot mailing envelope on Election Day in a locked box, clearly marked “Secretarial Election Drop Off Ballot Box” at the Tribal Hall, 338 Wallace Ave, Coos Bay, Oregon between hours of 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.

All Boxes will remain locked and cannot be opened by anyone but a member of the Secretarial Election Board. All ballot envelopes, from all locations, will be brought to the Tribal Hall on Election Day. The Secretarial Election Board will be present on Election Day and will assist in the tabulation process that will be done electronically by a representative from the BIA. Results will be announced once the count has been completed.

April 28, 2026: Results will be announced and posted at the BIA NW Regional Office, Portland, Oregon and the Tribal Government Office in Coos Bay, Oregon, as well as all Tribal Government Offices and the Tribe’s website.

May 3, 2026: Any challenges to the election results must be made within five calendar days of the Election and must be submitted in writing to the Secretarial Election Board Chairman. They must include substantial evidence supporting the challenge. The BIA will review and make a determination regarding any challenge.

4. Determination and Adoption of Proposed Amendments

Proposed amendments shall be adopted if a majority vote in favor of adoption, provided that at least 30% of registered voters have cast ballots, with 2/3 of votes cast in favor. The Secretary is allowed 45 days to take action.