La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

This fall’s mid-term elections are already on the minds of voters here and around the nation.

For Swinomish Tribal Community members, the 2022 election cycle begins Saturday with two senate races, one involving the 11-member panel’s chairman, Steve Edwards. Ballots will be cast at the tribe’s social services building.

Edwards faces singer-songwriter Katherine Paul, the face of popular band Black Belt Eagle Scout, for senate seat 6. Former senator Joe Williams and Swinomish cultural events director Aurelia Bailey vie for seat 7, held by retiring senate member Leon John.

The winners will be elected to five-year terms.

The candidates were profiled in Swinomish Qyuugs, the monthly tribal newspaper.

Edwards has served 18 years on the senate, the last two as its chair. Known for his collaborative leadership style, he was the senate’s choice to succeed longtime chair Brian Cladoosby, defeated in 2020 by Alana Quintasket.

Edwards, a 1979 La Conner High School graduate, has dealt with the the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficult decisions related to maintaining tribal employment levels through steep revenue declines.

“It has been sad,” Edwards told Qyuugs, “to see the sacrifices we have had to make as native people, not being able to gather as a community during such things as cultural events, such as funerals.”

Despite uncertainties imposed by COVID-19, Edwards said Swinomish must remain focused on top tier issues –housing, education and public services. He said the key is to work together toward tangible, realistic goals.

“We must continue with our dreams as past leaders have passed on to us,” Edwards insisted, “and maintain a safe and healthy community.”

In her video, Paul, daughter of former senator Kevin Paul and La Conner attorney Pat Paul, said she believes she “can help create positive changes for our futures.”

A graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Paul stressed strengths including communication, fundraising, team building and event planning.

An impassioned advocate of equity and environmental protection, Paul returned home from Portland when the pandemic hit.

Her academic and music background instilled in her an appreciation for long-term planning, another prerequisite for serving on the senate.

“There are so many needs that our community deserves to have met,” she said. “Housing, health care, jobs and more education are some examples. These have been needs since I was a little girl and still are.”

Williams listed several specific areas of emphasis to pursue should he be returned to the senate, where he served 2016-21.

“If elected,” said Williams, “I plan to push for creation of a Swinomish-owned union construction company with well-paying jobs for our community members. The skills that we learn in the fishing industry transfer to the construction industry.”

Housing is both a practical and emotional topic at Swinomish.

“The Didgwalic Wellness Center,” said Williams, “generates income that can be used to support health programs. A housing crisis is a health crisis. Let’s use Didgwalic funds for housing.”

In her role directing the tribe’s cultural events, Bailey has been able to connect with community members across several generations. She said the value of engaging in spiritual and cultural work on behalf of Swinomish was instilled in her by her grandparents.

At the start of the pandemic, Bailey joined with Swinomish programs administrator Tracy James and tribal youth center staff member Angie Ball to form “an essential team of workers” to provide Swinomish members their basic needs during the virus crisis.

“All of our essential workers are real heroes to me,” said Bailey. “They put their lives on the line to keep all of us safe. This is the kind of compassion and love that our ancestors had. Our Swinomish people are always going to do whatever we can to overcome any kind of devastations in our community.”

Swinomish voting will be 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Feb. 12. The tribe’s annual General Council session follows at 1:30 p.m. at the Wa Walton Event Center on Casino Drive. Depending upon COVID-19 case numbers, the session might be conducted with both in-person and Zoom options.