TAHLEQUAH, Okla.—The Cherokee Nation will welcome several newly elected and returning tribal officials on Sunday, Aug. 14, with an inauguration ceremony. The officials will take their oaths of office at 2 p.m. at Sequoyah Schools’ Place Where They Play activity center, 17091 S. Muskogee Ave.

S. Joe Crittenden, of Stilwell, will be sworn in as the next Deputy Principal Chief of the tribe. Crittenden is a life-long resident of Adair County. He has been married to his wife, Lynda, for 42 years. The couple has two daughters, Paula Unger and Christy Stopp, two grandsons, Caden and Ty Unger, and one granddaughter, Tyler Paige Stopp.

Crittenden will also take office as Acting Principal Chief until a new election for that office can be held and a winner certified. Crittenden will deliver a commitment address focusing on “Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reason.” When Crittenden is sworn in as Principal Chief, it will leave a vacancy in the Deputy Principal Chief’s office, which according to Cherokee Nation’s Constitution is to be filled by the Speaker of the Council.

“For the first time in the history of the Cherokee Nation, the Deputy Chief will be sworn in before the Principal Chief,” said the Deputy Principal Chief Elect S. Joe Crittenden. “Since the citizens of the Cherokee Nation have not yet elected a Principal Chief, the powers of the Principal Chief will devolve to me, in accordance with our Constitution, and I will serve as the interim Principal Chief until the election is held and a Principal Chief is inaugurated.  It is a testament to the stability of the government of our great Nation that we can have a smooth and peaceful transition under these unusual circumstances even while the candidates for Principal Chief continue spirited campaigns.”

“I am humbled that the responsibility for serving as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation has fallen on my shoulders.  I promise to work hard and put the needs of the Cherokee people first.    My primary goal will be to keep the Nation moving forward and ensure that the citizens continue to receive services without interruption.   Thank you for your support.  I pray that God will bless my term as Principal Chief and bless the Cherokee Nation.”

Crittenden graduated from Stilwell High School in 1962. A veteran of the United States Navy, he served from 1964 through 1967, including active duty in Vietnam. He graduated from Northeastern State University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and accounting.

He was employed with the U. S. Postal Service for more than 25 years, and served as postmaster for the Stilwell Post Office until his retirement in 2004.

Other officials who will be sworn in on Sunday for the 2011-2015 term include:


District 1 - Cherokee and Wagoner counties

Tina Glory-Jordan, Seat 2 and David Walkingstick, Seat 3

District 2 - Adair, Delaware and Ottawa counties

Jodie Fishinghawk, Seat 3

District 3 – Muskogee and Sequoyah counties

Janelle Fullbright, Seat 2

District 4 – Mayes, Craig, Nowata and Washington counties

Dick Lay, Seat 2

District 5 – Rogers and Tulsa counties

Cara Cowan Watts, Seat 2, and Lee Keener Jr., Seat 3

At-Large

Julia Coates

Council Speaker Meredith Frailey will take the oath of office for Deputy Principal Chief during the ceremony. After the winner of the Sept. 24 special election for Cherokee Nation Principal Chief is sworn in, Crittenden and Frailey will return to their respective elected positions of Deputy Principal Chief and Speaker of the Tribal Council.

Voters who wish to vote by absentee ballot in the special election for Principal Chief must return their absentee ballot requests to the Cherokee Nation Election Commission by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12. Voters may request an absentee ballot by downloading a request form from the Election Commission’s page at www.cherokee.org or by calling the CNEC at 918-458-5899 or toll-free at 800-353-2895.

The official ceremony will feature appearances by the Cherokee National Youth Choir and the Cherokee Nation Color Guard.