Recently elected leaders, including an incoming president, five legislators, three trial court judges and a tribal Supreme Court justice, will be sworn into office at a ceremony hosted by the Ho-Chunk Nation on Wednesday, July 5, at Ho-Chunk Gaming – Wisconsin Dells Lower Ballroom.
The primary elections saw three contested legislative seats and ten certified presidential candidates. Rep. Darren Brinegar, for the District 3 seat, and Rodney Rave, in the District 1 race, won their elections decisively. District 2 voters chose Robert L. Funmaker in a close 169-165 tally over Samantha Day.
Write-in candidate and former Ho-Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer came in first in the race for the presidential seat, tallying 369 votes. With the tie at second, the tribe’s election board called a special runoff to be sure a candidate could meet the constitutional 50% plus one requirement to win the election. The former president bested the other two candidates, winning nearly 54% of all votes.
Supreme Court Justice David J.W. Klauser and Trial Court Chief Judge JoDeen B. Lowe will remain on the bench for another four-year term, with Wendi Huling and Michelle Greendeer-Rave serving first terms as trial court judges. Other legislators elected to a second term are Rep. Sarah Lemieux – White Eagle (District 3) and Rep. Paul Fox (District 4).
The officials will begin their four-year term after the Covid pandemic, which disrupted the tribal economy and triggered a decline in the tribal workforce.
