CONCHO — Gov. Reggie Wassana of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes has earned another term in office, according to preliminary election results released by the tribes Tuesday night.
Wassana and Lt. Gov. Gib Miles defeated Wilma Blackbear and Roberta Hamilton to maintain their offices, earning 1,362 votes to 525 for the Blackbear-Hamilton ticket.
Wassana was first elected the tribes' governor in 2017, and his reelection has earned him another four years in the post. Wassana and Miles finished far ahead of the pack during primary elections on Oct. 5, earning them a spot on Tuesday's ballot where they defeated Blackbear and Hamilton by a wide margin once again.
Cheyenne and Arapaho voters already decided on perhaps the most consequential issue this election season when they voted to lower the tribes' blood quantum requirement from 1/4 to 1/8 during the primary; that means more people with Cheyenne or Arapaho ancestors will be eligible for membership.
The tribes will begin accepting applications under expanded membership guidelines in December.
Other preliminary results from Tuesday's C&A general election included:
• A3 Election Commissioner: Patricia Smoothers 53, Doris Thunderbull 39
• C1 Election Commissioner: Sandra Henshaw 132, Fred Blackbear 83
• C2 District Legislator: George Woods 234, Frances Whitethunder 199
• C4 District Legislator: Byron Byrd 84, Delfred Whitecrow 65
• A1 District Legislator: Diane Willis 82, Debra Woolworth 71
• A2 District Legislator: Kendricks Sleeper 240, Juaquin Lonelodge 171
Watonga is in District 1, and Geary is in District 2.