Waging Peace: The United States

Monitoring Elections

2011 Elections
In September 2011, a Carter Center delegation observed the Cherokee Nation's special election for principal chief. The election marked a transition of power from a 12-year incumbency in a vote that was inclusive and a counting process that was credible and accurate.

The Carter Center was invited to observe the special election for principal chief by the Cherokee Nation Election Commission. Twelve Carter Center observers were deployed throughout the 14 counties of the Cherokee Nation and visited all 38 polling precincts. Carter Center observers were present at the Election Commission for much of election day, observing the sealing of absentee ballot materials, walk-in voting at the commission, the receipt and logging of election materials at the commission after the close of polls, and the securing of all election materials for the later count. The Center assessed the electoral process based on the Cherokee Nation legal framework and international obligations and good practice for democratic elections.

Carter Center observers also witnessed all three days of the vote-counting process.  This included the observation of the logic and accuracy testing of the ballot tabulator, tabulation of precinct-level results, the processing and tabulation of close to 10,000 absentee ballots, and the review and hand tallying of close to 150 challenged ballots cast throughout the 10 days of voting.  In addition, the Center observed each of the additional days of voting on Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, 4, 6, and 8. 

The extra days of voting and the counting process were conducted transparently. On Oct. 12, the CNEC certified election results that declared candidate Bill John Baker the victor, having received 53.97 percent of all votes.  

1999 Elections
At the invitation of the Cherokee Nation Election Commission, all the major candidates, and key civic leaders within the nation, The Carter Center observed the May 22, 1999, Cherokee Nation elections for the positions of principal chief, deputy chief, and all 15 Tribal Council seats.  In a postelection statement, The Carter Center noted that the Cherokee Nation election was well-run and met professional standards for an acceptable process.

Carter Center monitors returned to Oklahoma to witness a runoff election on July 24, 1999.