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Chief Byron Lewis wins another term in OKIB election

Chief Byron Lewis wins another term in OKIB election | iNFOnews.ca
FILE PHOTO: Okanagan Indian Band chief Byron Louis Submitted

Incumbent Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis has won his sixth term as chief taking almost twice the number of votes as his closest runner-up.

Chief Louis, who was first elected chief in 2011, took 257 votes in the election held March 30, which sees him stay in the position of chief for another two-year term.

Councillors Garett Lawrence, Valerie Chiba, Sharon Cullen and Cindy Brewer all lost their seats, while incumbents Tim Isaac, Allan Louis, Sheldon Pierre Louis, Ryan Oliverius and Dan Wilson, all hung onto their seats.

Viola Brown, David Marchand, Rochelle Saddleman, Joseph Jack and Rachel Marchand were all newly voted onto the 10 person council.

A total of 676 ballots were cast and Chief Louis took 257 votes to remain the top job. In the race for chief, Reynolds Bonneau came in second place with 142 votes, Garett Lawrence got 110, Daniel Wilson 103, with Valerie Chiba getting 40 votes and William Robert Wilson 18.

According to its website, the Okanagan Indian Band currently has about 2,030 members.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Ben Bulmer or call (250) 309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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Ben Bulmer

Ben Bulmer

After a decade of globetrotting, U.K. native Ben Bulmer ended up settling in Canada in 2009. Calling Vancouver home he headed back to school and studied journalism at Langara College. From there he headed to Ottawa before winding up in a small anglophone village in Quebec, where he worked for three years at a feisty English language newspaper. Ben is always on the hunt for a good story, an interesting tale and to dig up what really matters to the community.

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