Pursuant to STC 2-01.130, a Primary Election is required for Seats 1 and 2.
The Primary will be held on January 18, 2025.
Pursuant to STC 2-01.230(A), the Election Board shall certify the first and second place finishers for each Senate Position subject to the Primary as candidates for the General Election.
The General Election is scheduled for February 8, 2025.
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS LETTERS
SENATE SEAT 1 Brian Wilbur
Skla da Tud, Kwallatum
To the Swinomish Community,
My name is Brian Wilbur, Skla da Tud, Kwallatum, and I am seeking to return to the Tribal Senate and continue work on important issues that will affect the Community in the next five years. I have been gone for one year and I'm ready to return to the great work the Senate faces every day.
There are still great needs regarding Elder Care, Health Services and home shortages. There are standing concerns and issues around enrollment and the elections that haven't been addressed. There are important negotiations with Shelter Bay, the town of LaConner and BNSF that I have experience with and knowledge that will be useful in reaching some agreement. There is a fast approaching expiring lease with Thousand Trails that needs addressed and many ideas on what to do that I have spent many years working on already. I have unique skillsets in Finance and Business that are needed on the Council and position me well to help guide the Senate to decisions that would best serve our people.
I believe I have the experience and education to help move these important issues forward. Below is a short list of outstanding concerns and projects community members have raised and that I want to help address.
‣ Elder care and assisted living
‣ Master lease negotiations with Shelter Bay
‣ Medical Clinic expansion
‣ Education
‣ Enrollment
‣ Elections reform
‣ Sewer contract with LaConner
‣ More houses
‣ Housing repair program
‣ BNSF negotiations to transfer/allocate settlement dollars to Swinomish
‣ Thousand Trails lease
I have spent 15 years serving on HESS, SDA, Budget, Personnel, Utilities, Dental Licensing, Shelter Bay Leasing and other important Senate committees that have addressed pressing needs of our members by increasing scholarships, building and supporting new businesses, improving infrastructure needed for new housing, building relationships with our neighbors that resulted in a Library with our name displayed in LaConner and I'm especially proud of my work with the Dental Clinic, the DHAT education program and the work the Dental Therapists are doing to improve the quality of oral health care for our Community.
Tribal Members have many needs and concerns that are unique to each and every one of you. I fully support your right to have your voice heard and your concerns addressed. I humbly ask for your vote and support in this upcoming election and together we can make a positive difference to help all our people.
Thank you, Brian Wilbur
SENATE SEAT 1 Eric StoolstaDay
My name is Eric Day, Stooltsa is my traditional name. My parents Ron Day Sr and Linda Day/Williams. Paternal Grandparents Garfield & Dorthy Day, Maternal Grandparents Henry Williams and Geraldine Williams/ Edwards. Me and my son Thomas share our Traditional name in honor of my Maternal Grandfather, his nickname was Moose. Also was my main influence growing up. Want to thank you for taking the time to read my statement. I am running for Senate Seat #1, and would appreciate it if U vote for me.
For most of my life I grew up a very traditional life, traveling to gatherings throughout our Native communities. Learning what I can from our elders. Passing those teachings on to the next generations. It is a privilege and honor to watch our youth grow into the people that the Creator has intended for them. To provide for them a path that is free from the influence of any mind altering substances. I have been sober for 32 plus years, and have been blessed with a good life, full of goals achieved and new goals set.
I have served one term on Senate, and look forward to another opportunity to serve my people in a good way. As Senator I would like to see our programs grow stronger. Employ more of our Tribal members in roles fitting their skills and knowledge. Provide more housing opportunities for all tribal members, with big families or small, single occupants as well.
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS LETTERS
Senate Candidate Goals
SENATE SEAT 1
M. Brian Cladoosby
Kel Kahl Tsoot
Our priorities over the years have been to look out for the best interest of our youth first and foremost. They are our future and our greatest resource. Over the years we have implemented so many programs to make our youth successful and you can see the results. We have to continue to evaluate their needs and make sure they are getting the services needed. We need to hear from our youth and see if their needs are being met, they will be the ones to tell us if what we are doing is working.
Our second priority has to be our Elders. I’m so proud of the team we have assembled to take care of the needs of our growing segment of our society. I’m able to witness first hand the needs that are being addressed being able to cook salmon every week and seeing the programs that are being put in place to make our Elders program successful. It is very important we build our new Elders Center, this is something that has been on the table for the last 6 years, we need to make it happen.
Generational trauma is real and the issue we have continued to deal with, drugs and alcohol will continue to be a top priority for our community. We need to look at this as a disease and not a crime, although dealing with fentanyl has to be something we have to continue to fight with all the resources we have, as we have witnessed our members being caught up in this epidemic. We need to continue to make sure our front line has the resources needed to battle this. I’m so proud of our tribal members that are leaving drugs and alcohol behind and are raising children in drug and alcohol free homes. We are seeing so many breaking the cycle one generation at a time.
Our fisherpeople have so many needs, being able to support the new Swinomish Port Authority has to be number 1. We are the first tribe in the nation to achieve this, we are being watched to see if we can be successful. We need to look at adding more dock space so our members don’t have to pay moorage off reservation, we need docks at Summers Court, we need a place close to the docks to store crab pots. And I am excited to see our new boat ramp in the future.
There are so many other things, housing, jobs, revenue, cultural needs, economic development, Social Services, there is only so much space to share everything.
After witnessing a national election, I know it will be totally 180 different at Swinomish with the great candidates being respectful of each other.
I look forward to your support as I know I still have a lot to offer to our Tribe.
Brian Cladoosby
Goals/Objectives
SENATE SEAT 1 Fred Nu-was-ke-lukCayou
1) Learn and get up to speed with current needs and actions that pertain to real live and times.
2) Sustain the work already being done and up hold the foundations laid by the elders before me.
3) Find avenues to advance our people.
4) Stay on the path that best suites our People.
Objectives
1) Find a way to contribute my basic understanding and knowledge of being a small business owner.
2) Offer my experience in dealing with other governments in dealing in Natural Resources
3) Work hard to be the best Representative possible.
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS LETTERS
SENATE SEAT 2 Alana Quintasket, Incumbent
My honorable relatives - it is hard to believe that the past five years have gone by so quickly and I am here humbly seeking your vote for re-election to the Swinomish Senate.
As a child, I was a part of a small group to be the first generation to bring the Lushootseed language back to the Swinomish community and the traditional family canoes back to the Salish Sea. This is where my foundational knowledge, indigenous worldview, and overall values originate. It was a privilege to have been able to grow up with the teachings of our ancestors and have rich knowledge and experience in our traditional language(s), culture and way of life as the modern day Swinomish and Coast Salish peoples. In these spaces I was often told that I was a leader of my generation and therefore have had a lifetime of training and discipline to carry this role.
I earned a bachelors in early childhood and family studies and American Indian studies and a masters in indigenous rights and social justice to further research, understand and apply the knowledge and way of life of our people. I had the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with many Indigenous and diverse people and communities from around the world to continue building on this foundation to eventually bring it home and make our community a better place for future generations.
We are currently in a state of crisis and apocalyptic devastation with the terrifying impacts of global warming, the drug epidemic, and ongoing genocide and colonization putting our relatives and all living beings at risk. It is most critical for us to utilize the teachings of our ancestors and be of one heart, one mind, one spirit to confront these challenges. We all want healthy homes, healthy families, clean water, and to protect all that is sacred. It takes every single one of us to work together to accomplish this and create the community that we all deserve.
Our community must continue to come together and take ownership of our government and be the sovereign nation our ancestors fought for us to be. We do this by actively being a part of day-to-day government operations, with jobs, joining committees, having hard conversations, (re) connecting with the land/water/culture, being a part of and creating spaces of unity and healing to overcome our historical/intergenerational trauma and release the grief and toxic stress that we all continue to carry. Guided by the spirit of our ancestors and the next generation. and grounded in the teachings and culture of our sacred territory.
It has been an honor to serve you in this role, to represent and advocate for our community and our territory at the tribal, town/city, county. state, national and international level and I am committed to continuing to do the work to make this place better for all of us.
VOTE TO RE-ELECT ALANA QUINTASKET FOR SENATE SEAT #2
hychqa siam
SENATE SEAT 2 Holle Edwards
tsee-sai-sath
Hello, I would like to start by thanking all the folks who contributed to the person I am today: those who shared their strawberries with me as a young girl, those who shared their paddles & drums with my children so that they would have the opportunity to contribute the beautiful songs of Swinomish, the laughter, the joking around, teaching me to work on the water, and all the love. All these life lessons are part of cultivating the person I am today, and I am grateful.
Today, I ask for your support as I am running for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Senate.
Our elders learned the need to protect us from harm and secretly maintained our way of life. This knowledge came from their time in boarding schools, where they were exposed to a hostile environment while safeguarding our traditions.
Today, we are fortunate to have Lushootseed teachers, songs, dances, and those who can share our spiritual practices. They have kept us from harm, so now it's our turn to protect and support them. This can include helping with essential needs, encouraging them to travel, and strengthening our bonds of friendship.
I have had the opportunity to participate in exercising our treaty rights while working on the water with my uncles. Therefore, I am committed to supporting the unmet needs of the fishermen and advocating for the safety and security of the entire fleet. Harvesting salmon, shellfish, and other saltwater species is an integral part of our way of life, providing traditional foods and allowing us to support our families.
Our Future is based on many factors, starting with our youth. They will be our wisdom keepers, maintaining our Culture, Language, Songs, and Traditional way of life with a desire for continued growth.
Many of our past leaders valued education. I recognize the importance of educating our youth. I aspire to see a 100% graduation rate and to inspire our young people, instilling moral and ethical values and teaching them the importance of completing what they start, whether through vocational training or a four-year degree. This will empower our people to become leaders in various fields and lead us into the future.
Many of our community members have participated in recreational sports and activities. We have many talented individuals, and I see this as a protective factor for our community. Recreational sports and activities provide an excellent chance to learn about teamwork and dedication, bringing the Swinomish community together. I look forward to this happening again and will support the opportunity for it to occur.
I wholeheartedly believe in sovereignty and support the tribe's perspective of acting sovereign. I believe in being solution-oriented and focusing on prevention for the Future. A wholesome lifestyle is essential to me, which began with participating in early programs such as Youth Dynamics and has been foundational to my sobriety. I value community support and creating space for people, both physically and emotionally. I am committed to endorsing and advocating for our members needing meeting space.
I am honored to have your support and vote for position 2.
I will always be Fair and Equitable, Solution-based, Ethical, and Accountable. I value our Traditional way and the importance of listening. I will also bring my experience with organizational management, putting the needs of our families first, with the understanding that all voices of our community are important.
I am proud of our swadab's way of life. Please feel free to contact me at 360-826-2147.
ti'igwicid
Thank you
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS LETTERS
Dear Swinomish,
SENATE SEAT 2 Anna Cook
aud alt sa, selestel-lot
My ancestral name is aud alt sa on my Grandpa Marvin Wilbur Sr.'s side of the family, and selestel-lot on my late Grandmother Joan Wilbur-Pennier's side of the family. My English name is Anna Celestine Cook and I am grateful to announce that I am running for Swinomish Senate Seat #2.
I graduated from the Evergreen State College with my Bachelor's degree in Native American studies focusing on Native history and our traditional plants as medicine. Following my graduation, I worked in our community gardens as an outdoor youth educator and food sovereignty advocate where I was able to learn and teach about our 13 moons curriculum in depth for 3.5 years promoting health and wellness in and around our community.
I then moved over to didgwalic Wellness Center where I was the Healing Arts teacher for 2 years. I learned the importance of healing and the need for our wellness center in our community. The Red Road is a path I am proud to say that I am walking and I am grateful for my sobriety.
I believe that every voice matters and I believe that we are stronger together than we are alone. Each and every tribal member is important and I hope that I can use my voice to help encourage those around me and uplift our Swinomish programs honoring the wishes of our ancestors.
I love our Swinomish community and will always work towards bettering it, because I believe in who we are and what we are capable of becoming. As my elder once told me, "Hard work only works if you do," and I am committed to doing the work.
