Melvina Shotpouch is a

Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( or ) is the largest of three list of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Cherokee Nation (1794–1907), Old Cheroke ...

politician who has served on the

Cherokee Nation tribal council The Cherokee Nation tribal council (officially: Council of the Cherokee Nation; ) is the legislative branch of the Cherokee Nation. One councilor is elected to represent each of the 15 districts of the Cherokee Nation in the 14 county tribal jurisd ...

since 2021. She served three prior terms on the council from 1991 to 1995 and from 1999 to 2007.

Biography

Melvina Shotpouch was first elected during the tenure of

Wilma Mankiller Wilma Pearl Mankiller (; November 18, 1945April 6, 2010) was a Native American activist, social worker, community developer and the first woman elected to serve as Tribal chief, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Born in Tahlequah, Oklaho ...

in 1991 and served until 1995. She was re-elected in 1999 to a second term. Shotpouch was re-elected in 2003 alongside Linda Hughes O'Leary to represent the multi-member district 5 of the

tribal council. She ran for re-election in 2007, but lost re-election to Harley Buzzard. She filed to run for the 10th district in 2013, but was disqualified from running for living 1000 feet outside the district. When Buzzard was term limited in 2021 Shotpouch filed to succeed them representing the 10th district. After a June general election, she advanced to a July runoff with Shaunda Handle-Davis. She won the runoff election with 58.8% of the vote and was sworn in on August 14, 2021.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shotpouch, Melvina 21st-century American politicians 21st-century Native American politicians Living people Members of the Council of the Cherokee Nation Native American women in politics 20th-century Native American politicians 20th-century Native American women 21st-century Native American women Year of birth missing (living people) Cherokee Nation women