White Mountain Apache Tribe Primary Election Sees Chairman Defeated

White Mountain Apache Tribe Election Shakes Up Leadership

In a significant political shift, members of the White Mountain Apache Tribe headed to the polls on Wednesday, resulting in the end of Chairman Kasey Velasquez’s bid for re-election. The primary election saw Velasquez trailing significantly behind his competitors, marking a pivotal moment in the tribe’s leadership.

According to unofficial results released by the White Mountain Apache Tribe Election Commission, Velasquez garnered just over 400 votes in a three-candidate race. His opponents, however, each secured nearly four times that number of votes. Ultimately, Orlando Carroll, a veteran member of the Whiteriver school board, emerged as the leading contender, surpassing Velasquez by more than 50 votes. Carroll is set to compete against Councilman Gary Alchesay in the upcoming general election scheduled for April.

The tribal radio station KNNB first reported these developments late Wednesday, and the results were formally confirmed the following morning. In a message on social media, Carroll expressed his gratitude to voters, stating they had “sent a message with your vote for a positive, new direction.”

The primary election coincided with an announcement from the tribe that a special prosecutor decided not to pursue criminal charges against Velasquez under tribal law, despite allegations of sexual harassment involving the HR director. Velasquez remains on paid administrative leave while a civil investigation by the same special prosecutor is underway, with an anticipated conclusion in the near future, as noted by Vice-Chairman Jerome Casey III.

In a related development, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit has forwarded its findings to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Attempts to reach Velasquez’s defense attorney for comments on the primary election results went unanswered.

This story was produced by KJZZ, the public radio station in Phoenix, and published by KNAU as part of the Arizona Public Media Exchange.