Bismarck Tribune

By LAUREN DONOVBy LAUREN DONOVAN

Not long after dawn following Tuesday night's election closing, a new chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes was sworn in and a victory song drummed at the 4 Bears Casino events center at New Town.

Marcus Wells Jr., formerly a tribal councilman, has taken over the chairman's post, after defeating two-term chairman Tex Hall in a hard-fought race.

Wells received 1,356 votes to Hall's 1,109. Hall had been chairman for eight years and was the only tribal chairman ever elected to two consecutive terms. A third term was not to be, however.

Wells said people on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation are ready for change.

Hall was not available to comment for this story.

Wells plans an open administration, emphasizing free speech and free press, he said. He also plans to run a more inclusive style of government, making decisions with the tribal council and with input from department managers.

Wells said he has about a dozen appointments he will make and Hall's people had cleared out their desks after the election votes were final Tuesday night.

The tribal positions of chief executive officer and federal program manager are already being advertised, Wells said.

Other tribal winners are Judy Brueh, the new 4 Bears segment councilwoman, who defeated Lawrence Baker by a vote of 208 to 16. Wells resigned that position to run for chairman.

In Twin Buttes, where councilman Daylon Spotted Bear chose not to seek re-election, Barry Benson will take the post. Benson, with 164 votes, defeated Evan Burr with 99.