Shoshone-Bannock Tribes referendum in person vote September 23
FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes referendum in person vote on the Mountain Home economic development project is September 23 at all five Fort Hall Reservation District lodges from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
It’s for all eligible Shoshone-Bannock voters at least 21 years of age and a reservation resident for one year. You do not have to be registered. Bring your tribal ID.
Early voting continues September 22 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Tribal Business Center.
A total of 797 votes are needed in order for the election to be valid. If there isn’t, Tribal Public Affairs says the project will proceed. Tribal Election Board secretary Angela Diaz advises if the 797 votes aren’t received the ballots will not be counted.
The ballot language reads: The FHBC purchased 157 acres of land within our ancestral lands of Mountain Home, Idaho and proposes to develop the land with a variety of economic development projects to increase our overall tribal revenue. The proposed project includes a casino, hotel, bowling alley, movie theatre and horse track. Do you approve of this economic project? Voters will either mark yes or no.
Shoshone-Bannock tribal members voted at the Annual Meeting May 21 the Fort Hall Business Council shall authorize and conduct a referendum yes or no vote of the tribal membership within 90 days in accordance with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Constitution, Article IX – Referendum Section 1, on whether the Tribes should continue this project. Be it Further Resolved, that the authorized resolution on purchasing the property, project costs and contracts, how the Tribes will finance $311 million, updates to the land into trust and other project details, including financing estimates of all needed Reservation economic development shall be provided to the membership through a mail out process, at district meetings and a future Called Meeting for the specific purpose to provide transparency to the general membership and be it finally resolved that all project development, costs or contracts, including land into trust application shall cease until the referendum vote is completed. The vote was 135 in favor and 15 opposed.
