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Tribal Hearing Continues

By AP

Tahlequah, OK – Hearing on Okla. tribe's disputed election resumes

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) A hearing to determine whether a recount in the contentious Cherokee Nation principal chief election should stand will resume in Tahlequah Saturday.

Members of the tribal election commission and others testified before the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Friday that the voter database wasn't regularly updated and expressed concern that there were errors with absentee votes cast in the June 25 election.

The court has been asked to determine whether another recount should be done to determine whether incumbent Principal Chief Chad Smith or challenger Bill John Baker is the winner. Unofficial returns initially gave Baker the lead by 11 votes June 26, but the commission declared Smith the winner the next day by seven votes.

Baker was declared the winner after the recount and Smith asked the court to intervene.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.