MCA CEO addresses election errors

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AKWESASNE — In an open letter issued Friday, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA) Executive Director Mose Herne addressed the mistakes and failures made during the June 29 council election.

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Once the election results have been made official, a new election date will be announced in the future.

“I extend my sincerest apologies on behalf of our organization for the confusion and shortcomings that occurred throughout this election process,” Herne said in Friday’s letter. “The outcome was not fair to the candidates, their families, or the voters, especially those who were denied the exercise of a fundamental right.”

In analyzing the causes of the errors, the letter indicated that there had been problematic updates to the voter list, partly due to technological errors. The letter also noted that the candidates were new to their roles and that there were insufficient resources to support the electoral process.

On July 18, the MCA announced that the Akwesasne Electoral Appeals Board issued decisions on 14 appeals following two public sessions and consideration by the board. In each of the 14 appeals, the board relied on Section 14(6) of the Akwesasne Electoral Act (AEL), suggesting that the board was convinced that there was corruption or fraud related to the election, or a violation that in all likelihood affected the results and led to someone being elected.

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Four focus areas were identified – the voters list, adherence to the ELA, security and access to information – to ensure that the upcoming elections take place smoothly.

“As we move forward into the next steps of a new election, I want to assure the community that our team is deeply committed to implementing these changes and administering a proper and fair election,” Herne said. “We are grateful to those who have upheld the law and followed the processes that are important to the functioning of a government.

“Most importantly, I would like to encourage everyone to participate and vote.”

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The MCA will explore new database options for the voter list in the future to allow for better accessibility, visibility and control mechanisms, ensuring that the entire electoral team has time to carefully review the list and its accuracy. The letter also noted that the Akwesasne Justice Department should work more closely with the Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that she is adequately supported, that the ELA is applied in every decision and action taken, and that specific deadlines are met.

The possibility of establishing a more secure process for submitting voter applications was also identified, shortening the chain of custody so that documents can be delivered directly to the executive director or in a locked location that only the executive director can access. More information will also be distributed to community members, especially eligible voters, through the MCA website and direct mail.

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“I began my position as Executive Director in May 2024 and was faced with several important matters, including the scheduled general election. We were also undergoing multiple transitions in addition to my own, including the retirement of the long-serving Chief Electoral Officer and the appointment of a new Executive Director and Deputy Chief Electoral Officers (DEO),” Herne explained in his letter.

Kana:takon District Chief Cindy Francis-Mitchell was appointed as interim MCA Grand Chief on July 15 and will remain in office until new elections are held and the new council is sworn in. Given the delay in the transition, Kana:takon District Chief Tim “Dooley” Thompson retired from his council seat on Friday, capping a political career that saw him elected to council as district chief from 1986 to 1991, from 1997 to 2002, as grand chief from 2006 to 2009 and again as district chief since 2015.

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