David Walkingstick

{{infobox officeholder

|name = David Walkingstick

|image =

|office = Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for the 3rd district

|term_start = August 14, 2013

|term_end = August 14, 2019

|predecessor = Position established

|successor = Wes Nofire

|office2 = Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for the 1st district, seat 2

|term_start2 = August 14, 2011

|term_end2 = August 14, 2013

|predecessor2 = Position established

|successor2 = Position disestablished

|birth_date =

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party =

|spouse =

|education = University of Central Oklahoma (B.S.)
East Central University (M.S.)

}}

David Walkingstick is a Cherokee Nation politician who served on the Cherokee Nation tribal council between 2011 and 2019.

Education and career

David Walkingstick graduated from Sequoyah High School in 1999, and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master's degree in school administration from East Central University. He was the Muskogee Public Schools' Indian Education Program director from 2010 to 2018.{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Emily |title=Cherokee Nation citizen retires from education post |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/education/cherokee-nation-citizen-retires-from-education-post/article_20b261cb-1b45-50ad-abd6-e733dff54c07.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 6, 2010}} He resigned after a petition was presented to the school board asking for him to be fired for his stance in the Cherokee freedmen controversy.{{cite news |last1=Henson |first1=Kenlea |title=Walkingstick resigns as Muskogee School's Indian Ed director |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/walkingstick-resigns-as-muskogee-schools-indian-ed-director/article_4ce9b411-2527-516c-bc95-5ff57758e898.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=January 29, 2018}}

He was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin to the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education in 2014.{{cite news |title=Walkingstick to serve on state Indian education council |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/education/walkingstick-to-serve-on-state-indian-education-council/article_ef7084d2-cc17-51e6-865f-113cdab8ca8e.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=September 8, 2014}}

Cherokee Nation tribal council

Walkingstick first ran for the Cherokee Nation tribal council district 1, seat 2 in 2007;{{cite news |last1=Snell |first1=Travis |title=45 candidates file for 19 seats |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/45-candidates-file-for-19-seats/article_f71e8c6f-6924-5efc-9a8d-5c27c9aa5d9b.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=March 12, 2007}} he placed fourth in the general election.{{cite news |last1=Chavez |first1=Will |title=Smith wins another term as chief |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/smith-wins-another-term-as-chief/article_f2b2bc96-85f4-5ae2-9ddc-dfd3055fdabb.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 11, 2007}} In 2011, he ran for the new District 1, Seat 3 in an eight candidate general election.{{cite news |title=32 candidates file for Cherokee Nation's June 25 election |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/32-candidates-file-for-cherokee-nations-june-25-election/article_2f1650ec-08ff-532e-9988-9536772743dd.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=March 14, 2011}} He led the general election with 36% of the vote and advanced to a runoff with Mark Vance;{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |last2=Good Voice |first2=Christina |title=UPDATE: 4 councilors retain seats, 3 races go to runoffs |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/update-4-councilors-retain-seats-3-races-go-to-runoffs/article_29a12d61-9f83-529a-a9e1-84b4bec9f3c7.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 27, 2011}} Walkingstick won the runoff with 1,886 votes to Vance's 827.{{cite news |last1=Good Voice |first1=Christina |title=Winners in final 3 council races certified |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/winners-in-final-3-council-races-certified/article_7b868934-afc5-5d5c-8338-dd3f6b27ec1c.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 24, 2011}} He was sworn on August 14, 2011.{{cite news |last1=Chavez |first1=Will |title=Elected leaders sworn in at inauguration ceremony |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/elected-leaders-sworn-in-at-inauguration-ceremony/article_f7219f62-19c1-5048-8e0e-0484abf039d0.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 15, 2011}} In 2013, he was redistricted to represent district 3.{{cite news |last1=Snell |first1=Travis |title=15-district map in effect for Tribal Council |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/15-district-map-in-effect-for-tribal-council/article_eb9ce265-44c5-50c7-9654-e689c23fa001.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 19, 2013}} He ran for re-election in 2015 and won the general election with 54% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Brittney |title=UPDATE: Walkingstick re-elected for Dist. 3 Council seat |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/election/update-walkingstick-re-elected-for-dist-3-council-seat/article_ee17f7d2-fe57-5d05-a090-ff0e5f215bc8.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 29, 2015}} He was sworn on August 14, 2015.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=Tribe's 2015-19 elected officials sworn into office |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/tribes-2015-19-elected-officials-sworn-into-office/article_150070bf-bd82-51f9-9c24-d2ddc288bb35.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 14, 2015}} In 2017, he proposed legislation to bring the recognition of same-sex marriage to a referendum after the Cherokee Nation attorney general Todd Hembree wrote an opinion, with the force of law, finding Cherokee Nation law that defined marriage as between only a man and woman was unconstitutional.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=Council tables same-sex marriage ballot attempt |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/council-tables-same-sex-marriage-ballot-attempt/article_50057239-50cb-591f-961d-1a34c4bc204d.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=March 22, 2017}}

That same year, Walkingstick proposed appealing the 2017 federal court case Cherokee Nation v. Nash which resulted in the recognition of Cherokee Freedmen's citizenship; he also supported the since voided 2007 amendment to the Cherokee constitution that limited citizenship to "Cherokee by blood."{{cite news |last1=Boston |first1=Stacie |title=Walkingstick wants Freedmen ruling appealed |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/walkingstick-wants-freedmen-ruling-appealed/article_91fdaf90-5d54-5fb3-ae8f-44606f454896.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=November 18, 2017}}

Campaigns for principal chief and deputy chief

Walkingstick filed to run in the 2019 Cherokee Nation principal chief election.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=36 file for Cherokee Nation government seats |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/36-file-for-cherokee-nation-government-seats/article_1096f0cc-c089-56dc-8b4f-7b30ba85ee85.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=February 8, 2019}} During the campaign, Walkingstick called for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to oversee the elections after the Cherokee Nation Election Commission disqualified candidate Wanda Hatfield for violating Cherokee Nation election law.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Walkingstick, Hoskin disagree over federalizing Cherokee election |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/walkingstick-hoskin-disagree-over-federalizing-cherokee-election/article_b419cbc3-dc54-5e7a-93c9-07375c0af30a.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=April 24, 2019}} In April, an election law violation complaint was filled against his campaign and in May the Cherokee Nation election commission ordered Cherokees for Change LLC to stop contributing to his and Meredith Frailey's campaigns.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Complaints filed with EC against Walkingstick |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/complaints-filed-with-ec-against-walkingstick/article_fc415f01-1a0e-511e-9e48-e48e16b83d3e.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=April 27, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Election Commission orders Cherokees for Change to stop campaign contributions |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/election-commission-orders-cherokees-for-change-to-stop-campaign-contributions/article_bfd9b26d-ce10-56da-a689-b2b75c1f54bb.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=May 7, 2019}} Later that month, the Election Commission disqualified him from the election for coordinating with the LLC; Walkingstick denied any connection despite an affidavit from the LLC's owner Walkingstick knew of their activities.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Walkingstick disqualified from Cherokee Nation chief's race |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/walkingstick-disqualified-from-cherokee-nation-chiefs-race/article_ace5ae77-2e47-5e12-bf61-9e48175d9416.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=May 18, 2019}} The Cherokee Nation Supreme Court upheld his disqualification.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Supreme Court upholds Walkingstick disqualification |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/supreme-court-upholds-walkingstick-disqualification/article_1d715e89-af21-5f20-82dc-e6cf82bb5b1f.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=May 29, 2019}} Since Walkingstick was disqualified after ballots were printed, signs were put up at polling places informing voters of his disqualification.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Notices regarding disqualified candidates to be posted at voting sites |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/notices-regarding-disqualified-candidates-to-be-posted-at-voting-sites/article_7c538d23-5ea0-5355-8c99-4482048589a4.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=May 31, 2019}} Chuck Hoskin Jr. went on to win the election.{{cite news |last1=Rowley |first1=D. Sean |title=UPDATED: Hoskin wins Cherokee Nation principal chief race |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/updated-hoskin-wins-cherokee-nation-principal-chief-race/article_88f62f72-9a59-5f8e-9711-d1c06612903b.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 2, 2019}}

Walkingstick ran in the 2023 Cherokee Nation deputy chief election and lost to incumbent deputy chief Bryan Warner.{{cite news |last1=Rowley |first1=D. Sean |title=Chief, deputy chief candidates’ debate is April 25 |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/cn_election_2023/chief-deputy-chief-candidates-debate-is-april-25/article_00d6971e-dad1-11ed-8b95-bf057610527c.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=April 14, 2023}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no party no change

|title = 2023 Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Election{{cite news |last1=Rowley |first1=D. Sean |title=Warner re-elected as CN deputy chief |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/cn_election_2023/warner-re-elected-as-cn-deputy-chief/article_75576838-02af-11ee-860f-2be68458ac11.html |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 4, 2023}}

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate = Bryan Warner

|votes = 10,300

|percentage = 61.54%

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate = David Walkingstick

|votes = 4,901

|percentage = 29.28%

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change