Godwin, Jacobs filed for Tribal Chairman
Two tribal members have officially filed to run for Tribal Chairman in the upcoming Tribal Elections.
Harvey Godwin Jr. and Lynn Bruce Jacobs, both, filed for office on Monday, according to officials with Tribal Elections Board.
Godwin lives in the Moss Neck Community and is the owner of Two Hawk Employment Services. Jacobs, of Fairmont, is the senior pastor of Crying Spirit Ministries.
Elaine McNeil Collins filed for the District 9 seat on the Tribal Council. The seat is currently held by Anita Hammonds-Blanks. The district includes Saddletree.
The filing period began August 24 and will continue through September 18. There are seven council seats up for election, along with the chairman’s seat.
The tribal elections are set for November 17, 2015.
The other council seats up for election are Districts 1, 4, 5, 7, 10 and 14. Council members and the chairman serve three-year terms.
The District 1 seat, held by Evan Davenport, includes Gaddy, Rowland, Orrum and Sterlings.
District 4, held by Jonathan Locklear, includes Red Springs and Philadelphus.
District 5, held by Bobby Dean Oxendine, includes Oxendine and Prospect.
District 7, held by Robert Chavis, includes South Pembroke and Union.
District 10, held by Terry Collins, includes Shannon, Rennert and South St. Pauls.
District 14, held by Homer Fields, includes East Howellsville, Wisharts and Britts.
Council members Robert Chavis, Terry Collins and Homer Fields are ineligible to seek re-election because the Lumbee Constitution prohibits council members from serving more than two consecutive terms.
The filing fee for the chairman seat is $500. The filling fee for the council seat is $250.
To be eligible to be a candidate for chairman, candidates must be at least 35 years of age, maintained their residency in the tribal territory for the past year, and have no felony conviction.
To be eligible to serve on the Tribal Council, a person must be an enrolled tribal member of at least 21 years of age; maintained his or her principal residence in the district for no less than one year; and have no felony conviction.
The Tribal Election Board office is located at 78-D, Three Hunt’s Drive in the Comtech Business Park off N.C. 711 in Pembroke. The office is open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. The phone number is (910) 521-8965.
