Shift in Leadership as White Mountain Apache Tribe Holds Pivotal Primary Election
In a significant political shift for the White Mountain Apache Tribe, a primary election held on Wednesday saw incumbent Chairman Kasey Velasquez fail to secure a position in the upcoming general election. This electoral turnout drew thousands of tribal members to the polls, highlighting the community’s engagement in choosing their leaders.
In a competitive three-way race, Chairman Velasquez received a little over 400 votes, trailing significantly behind his opponents who garnered nearly four times his total. According to unofficial results issued by the White Mountain Apache Tribe Election Commission, Orlando Carroll, a veteran member of the Whiteriver school board, emerged as the frontrunner, surpassing the second-place candidate by over 50 votes. Carroll is now set to compete against Councilman Gary Alchesay in the general election scheduled for April.
These election results were first revealed by KNNB, a tribal radio station, late Wednesday and were officially certified the following morning. Orlando Carroll expressed his gratitude and optimism on social media, stating that the Apaches had “sent a message with your vote for a positive, new direction.”
The election coincided with an announcement from the tribe regarding a special prosecutor’s decision not to pursue criminal charges against Velasquez for alleged sexual harassment towards the HR director. Velasquez remains on paid administrative leave during an ongoing civil investigation by the same special prosecutor, which is anticipated to conclude soon, as indicated by Vice-Chairman Jerome Casey III.
In related developments, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit has referred its investigation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Velasquez’s defense attorney has not commented on the primary election outcome.
