The Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council voted down a proposal that would have allowed citizens to vote on term limits for the nation’s principal and second chiefs.
The measure, NCA 26-048, failed 7–8, falling short of the two-thirds vote required to amend the tribal constitution.
Supporters said the proposal would have allowed voters to decide whether the principal chief and second chief should be limited to three terms, like those offices with proposed term limits for council members. The legislation would also have established term limits for the second chief, who currently does not have one.
Opponents raised concerns about low voter turnout and a lack of public discussion about changing the constitution.
Second Chief Del Beaver warned the issue had not been widely discussed with citizens and said moving forward without broader engagement could lead to “contempt” and “mistrust” of elected officials.
This was informed by Ashley Samuel’s Documenter notes from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council meeting Mar. 24. If you’re interested in becoming a Documenter, visit us at documenters.org.
