David Walkingstick

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David Walkingstick
Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for the 3rd district
In office
August 14, 2013 – August 14, 2019
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byWes Nofire
Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for the 1st district, seat 2
In office
August 14, 2011 – August 14, 2013
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition disestablished
Personal details
EducationUniversity of Central Oklahoma (B.S.)
East Central University (M.S.)

David Walkingstick is a Cherokee Nation politician who served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council between 2011 and 2019.

Education and career[edit]

David Walkingstick graduated from Sequoyah High School in 1999, and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master's degree in school administration from East Central University.[1] He was the Muskogee Public Schools' Indian Education Program director from 2010 to 2018.[2][3] He resigned after a petition was presented to the school board asking for him to be fired for his stance in the Cherokee freedmen controversy.[3] He was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin to the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education in 2014.[1]

Cherokee Nation tribal council[edit]

Walkingstick first ran for the Cherokee Nation tribal council district 1, seat 2 in 2007;[4] he placed fourth in the general election.[5] In 2011, he ran for the new District 1, Seat 3 in an eight candidate general election.[6] He led the general election with 36% of the vote and advanced to a runoff with Mark Vance;[7] Walkingstick won the runoff with 1,886 votes to Vance's 827.[8] He was sworn on August 14, 2011.[9] In 2013, he was redistricted to represent district 3.[10] He ran for re-election in 2015 and won the general election with 54% of the vote.[11] He was sworn on August 14, 2015.[12] In 2017, he proposed legislation to bring the recognition of same-sex marriage to a referendum after the Cherokee Nation attorney general Todd Hembree wrote an opinion, with the force of law, finding Cherokee Nation law that defined marriage as between only a man and woman was unconstitutional.[13] That same year, Walkingstick proposed appealing the 2017 federal court case Cherokee Nation v. Nash which resulted in the recognition of Cherokee Freedmen's citizenship; he also supported the since voided 2007 amendment to the Cherokee constitution that limited citizenship to "Cherokee by blood."[14]

Campaigns for principal chief and deputy chief[edit]

Walkingstick filed to run in the 2019 Cherokee Nation principal chief election.[15] During the campaign, Walkingstick called for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to oversee the elections after the Cherokee Nation Election Commission disqualified candidate Wanda Hatfield for violating Cherokee Nation election law.[16] In April, an election law violation complaint was filled against his campaign and in May the Cherokee Nation election commission ordered Cherokees for Change LLC to stop contributing to his and Meredith Frailey's campaigns.[17][18] Later that month, the Election Commission disqualified him from the election for coordinating with the LLC; Walkingstick denied any connection despite an affidavit from the LLC's owner Walkingstick knew of their activities.[19] The Cherokee Nation Supreme Court upheld his disqualification.[20] Since Walkingstick was disqualified after ballots were printed, signs were put up at polling places informing voters of his disqualification.[21] Chuck Hoskin Jr. went on to win the election.[22]

Walkingstick ran in the 2023 Cherokee Nation deputy chief election and lost to incumbent deputy chief Bryan Warner.[23][24]

Electoral history[edit]

2023 Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Election[24]
Candidate Votes %
Bryan Warner 10,300 61.54%
David Walkingstick 4,901 29.28%
Meredith Frailey 1,147 6.85%
Bill Pearson 389 2.32%
Total votes 16,737 100%

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Walkingstick to serve on state Indian education council". Cherokee Phoenix. September 8, 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  2. ^ Turner, Emily (July 6, 2010). "Cherokee Nation citizen retires from education post". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  3. ^ a b Henson, Kenlea (January 29, 2018). "Walkingstick resigns as Muskogee School's Indian Ed director". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  4. ^ Snell, Travis (March 12, 2007). "45 candidates file for 19 seats". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  5. ^ Chavez, Will (July 11, 2007). "Smith wins another term as chief". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  6. ^ "32 candidates file for Cherokee Nation's June 25 election". Cherokee Phoenix. March 14, 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  7. ^ Murphy, Jami; Good Voice, Christina (June 27, 2011). "UPDATE: 4 councilors retain seats, 3 races go to runoffs". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  8. ^ Good Voice, Christina (July 24, 2011). "Winners in final 3 council races certified". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  9. ^ Chavez, Will (August 15, 2011). "Elected leaders sworn in at inauguration ceremony". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  10. ^ Snell, Travis (August 19, 2013). "15-district map in effect for Tribal Council". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  11. ^ Bennett, Brittney (June 29, 2015). "UPDATE: Walkingstick re-elected for Dist. 3 Council seat". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  12. ^ Murphy, Jami (August 14, 2015). "Tribe's 2015-19 elected officials sworn into office". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  13. ^ Murphy, Jami (March 22, 2017). "Council tables same-sex marriage ballot attempt". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  14. ^ Boston, Stacie (November 18, 2017). "Walkingstick wants Freedmen ruling appealed". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  15. ^ Hunter, Chad (February 8, 2019). "36 file for Cherokee Nation government seats". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  16. ^ Hunter, Chad (April 24, 2019). "Walkingstick, Hoskin disagree over federalizing Cherokee election". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  17. ^ Hunter, Chad (April 27, 2019). "Complaints filed with EC against Walkingstick". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  18. ^ Hunter, Chad (May 7, 2019). "Election Commission orders Cherokees for Change to stop campaign contributions". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  19. ^ Hunter, Chad (May 18, 2019). "Walkingstick disqualified from Cherokee Nation chief's race". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  20. ^ Hunter, Chad (May 29, 2019). "Supreme Court upholds Walkingstick disqualification". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  21. ^ Hunter, Chad (May 31, 2019). "Notices regarding disqualified candidates to be posted at voting sites". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  22. ^ Rowley, D. Sean (June 2, 2019). "UPDATED: Hoskin wins Cherokee Nation principal chief race". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  23. ^ Rowley, D. Sean (April 14, 2023). "Chief, deputy chief candidates' debate is April 25". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  24. ^ a b Rowley, D. Sean (June 4, 2023). "Warner re-elected as CN deputy chief". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
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