The Shinnecock Nation of New York, a state-recognized tribe that is seeking federal recognition, held an election on Tuesday.

Three people were elected to the board of trustees. According to the unofficial results, the winners were Lance Gumbs as chairman; Fred Bess as trustee and Chick Elizer as trustee. Randy King, the current chairman, is due to testify before the House Resources Committee this morning on off-reservation gaming.

The tribe applied for federal recognition in 1978 and is in the Bureau of Indian Affairs' "ready" list for consideration. But due to a large backlog, it could be another six to seven years before the tribe gets an answer.

A federal judge recently ruled that the Shinnecock Nation is a legitimate tribe but the BIA won't place the tribe on the list of federally recognized entities until the regulatory process is complete.

Court Decision:
New York v. Shinnecock Nation (November 7, 2005)

Only on Indianz.Com:
Federal Recognition Database V2.0 (May 2005)

Relevant Links:
Shinnecock Nation - http://www.shinnecocknation.com

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