Lt. Gov. Socobasin retains seat by 1 vote

INDIAN TOWNSHIP – Incumbent Lt. Gov. Joseph M. Socobasin held the slimmest of leads over opponent Richard J. Stevens in Wednesday’s tribal election for the four-year seat.

Socobasin apparently defeated Stevens, 201-200.

It was unclear Thursday if Stevens would ask for a recount.

This is not the first time Stevens has been in a close race. In 1998, in a 158-156 vote for governor, Stevens beat his uncle, John Stevens, who was the incumbent. The younger Stevens held the tribe’s top job for four years.

There were 19 people vying for the three three-year seats on the tribal council. The top three were Patrick Francis with 125 votes, Wayne Newell with 121 votes and Glenna Nicholas with 90 votes.

Other contenders included Stephanie Bailey, who received 81 votes, and Victoria Boston, who garnered 51 votes.

Franklin Grant, Andrea Hanson, Linda Meader and Janet Neptune collected 46, 70, 34 and 62 votes, respectively.

Also running for a seat on the council were Dale Newell II, 59 votes; Karl Nicholas, 66 votes; Leslie Nicholas, 65 votes; and Kevin Peter Paul, 32 votes.

Denise Polches, Clayton L. Sockabasin, John Stevens, Corina Thorton, David Tomah Sr. and Alberta White collected 55, 59, 70, 26, 14 and 24 votes, respectively.

Donald Soctomah, who ran unopposed for tribal state representative, received 380 votes.

Two people were elected to the school committee: Matt Dana II with 222 votes and Betty Mitchell Francis, 236 votes. Nora Deschaine, Belinda Gabriel, Amy Libby and Dale Newell I received 84, 20, 84 and 103 votes, respectively.