CRIT Elects New Chairman, Vice Chairman, Four Councilmembers
December 22, 2008

PARKER, Arizona (December 22, 2008) Eldred Enas was elected as the new Chairman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes in the Tribes elections on December 6.

Enas defeated Rayford Patch and Wendell Goodman, Jr. to become CRITs first new chairman in the past 20 years. He will succeed Daniel Eddy, Jr. who decided not to run for re-election.

Wayne Patch, Sr. was elected Tribal Vice Chairman over John Laffoon. Patch will succeed Enas in the position.

Four Tribal Council seats were up for election, and they will be filled by Merving Scott, Jr., Johnny Hill, Jr., Valerie Welsh-Tabho and Amanda Leivas-Sharpe. Welsh-Tahbo is the only incumbent of the council candidates to be re-elected. Current Councilmembers Dennis Patch and Herman T.J. Laffoon were not re-elected.

A total of 14 candidates were on the ballot for the four Tribal Council positions.

The new Chairman, Vice Chairman and Councilmembers will be sworn in during a ceremony on January 2, 2009.

Additionally, Councilmember Daphne Hill-Poolaw was recalled in a special election on December 13. There will be a special election on February 13, 2009 to fill the seat.