Keith Austin

Austin owns All Points Delivery. In May 2013, he was appointed to the editorial board of the Cherokee Phoenix on which he served until November 2014.{{cite news |title=Austin confirmed to Phoenix editorial board |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/austin-confirmed-to-phoenix-editorial-board/article_af9635fc-e1d9-5674-95d7-ada3174c9d4e.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=May 23, 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Boston |first1=Stacie |title=Burris approved as Supreme Court justice |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/burris-approved-as-supreme-court-justice/article_a2db0651-8270-5c44-9d7a-7595f18e7cf0.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=November 17, 2014}}

In 2015, Austin ran against William "Bill" Pearson for the 14th District of the Cherokee Nation tribal council seat in a race to succeed Lee Keener. Keener had retired to run for deputy chief.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=36 candidates file for general election |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/36-candidates-file-for-general-election/article_90c51d5f-9336-5bf0-b207-c388871bfc46.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=March 6, 2015}} In June, Pearson won the initial general election by one vote, leading Austin to file for a recount.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=DEVELOPING: Austin files for Dist. 14 recount |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/developing-austin-files-for-dist-14-recount/article_51d901b6-23b0-5c2c-9e6f-ebee6c1a233a.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 30, 2015}} After the recount, both candidates vote totals decreased, and Pearson maintained a 6-vote lead.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=BREAKING: Pearson wins Dist. 14 recount by 6 votes |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/election/breaking-pearson-wins-dist-14-recount-by-6-votes/article_6fa1132d-40c6-5fa8-beff-949a48e9e915.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 3, 2015}} In July, Austin appealed to the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court arguing "14 votes were cast and shouldn't have been, three were rejected that should have been accepted and two ballots were lost."{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=UPDATE: Austin files appeal challenging Dist. 14 race |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/update-austin-files-appeal-challenging-dist-14-race/article_7432d1a3-7c05-5234-b0a6-10cc3144e71c.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 7, 2015}} The court ruled for a new election to be held alongside the already scheduled runoff elections that month.{{cite news |title=New Dist. 14 election set for July 25 |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/election/new-dist-14-election-set-for-july-25/article_32c19e41-80b2-54d4-a769-ed3000b2b5da.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 11, 2015}} Austin won the new election with 53% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=UPDATE: Austin wins Dist. 14 Tribal Council seat |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/election/update-austin-wins-dist-14-tribal-council-seat/article_c572eb1d-258a-51c5-9331-6e2c5f7f8c43.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 27, 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 2019, Austin ran for re-election and faced former tribal councilor Cara Cowan Watts in the general election; he defeated Watts with 56% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=UPDATED: Voters back Austin for another Dist. 14 term |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/updated-voters-back-austin-for-another-dist-14-term/article_09b4b1ce-327d-50ab-88af-5dbf29a34680.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 2, 2019}} He was sworn in for his second term August 14, 2019.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |last2=Rowley |first2=D. Sean |title=Hoskin, Warner, 8 councilors sworn in at inauguration ceremony |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/hoskin-warner-8-councilors-sworn-in-at-inauguration-ceremony/article_16b1b46e-c6ea-5cae-963f-9b54803c7b06.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 15, 2019}} In 2022, Austin was a Republican primary candidate for the 2nd District of the Oklahoma Senate.{{cite news |last1=Brinkman |first1=Bennett |title=Senate District 2 GOP primary: Guns, abortion and ‘godless commies’ |url=https://nondoc.com/2022/05/31/senate-district-2-cheat-sheet-gop-primary/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=NonDoc |date=May 31, 2022}} He is term limited in 2023.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=41 file for office in Cherokee Nation |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/cn_election_2023/41-file-for-office-in-cherokee-nation/article_a765acd4-a8d9-11ed-930b-2754f431d787.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=February 9, 2023}}

Austin is a member of Verdigris United Methodist Church. He is married to his wife Pam and has two children.

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Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Council of the Cherokee Nation

Category:Oklahoma Republicans

Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States elections

Category:Cherokee Nation businesspeople

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century Oklahoma politicians

Category:21st-century Native American politicians