Current tribal chair loses primary, still up for council seat

It’s a two-way race for the position of chairman of the Yavapai-Apache Nation Tribal Council following the results of the Aug. 7 primary.

Roberta Pavatea garnered the most votes for the chair seat with 132 votes. Coming in second for the position was David Kwail with 122 votes. Incumbent Thomas Beauty earned 92 votes while current Vice Chairman Norman Smith earned 72 votes.

Pavatea and Kwail will be facing off for the Saturday, Sept. 18, general tribal election.
Nancy Guzman and Robert Jackson Sr. will be on the ballot running for the vice chairman’s seat. They earned 154 votes and 199 votes respectively.

Beauty will still be on the ballot for a seat on the tribal council, along with 10 others: Laura Cornelius, Billy Garner, Benjamin Jackson Jr., Libby Johnson, Dave Kinsey Jr., Tanya Moore, Dennis Sine Sr., Norman Smith, Carol Williams and Lottie Wilson.

The general election will be held Sept. 18 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Polling places have been set aside at the social services building in Middle Verde, the community building in Clarkdale and the land and water building in Camp Verde.