Bob Sam is running for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska Tribal Council. He first served in the mid-90s and was re-elected in 2014. (Emily Kwong/KCAW photo)
Bob Sam is one of five candidates running for four seats on tribal council, along with Wilbur G. Brown, Michael Miller, Nancy Douglas, and Wilfred S. Hanbury. Sam was first elected to tribal council in the mid-90s and rejoined in 2014. He will be listed on the ballot as Robert Calvin Sam.
My name is Bob Sam and I am running for Sitka Tribe of Alaska as a tribal council member. I am here to encourage tribal citizens to vote. Voting is very important in 2016. Our ancestors fought for our right to simply vote and to participate in decision making – important decision – that affect our tribal citizens.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska has a mission statement that states we are to improve the lives of individual tribal citizens. Sitka is a very difficult place to live in our modern setting, with high cost of electricity and high cost of housing. It’s difficult to find housing for families. One issue I would like to address is we lack transitional housing for our local citizens. This is our homeland. We are a people of this land. We’ve always hunted, fished. All our ancestors are buried here. Sitka is home. And it should not be a place to rent.
Sitka is a beautiful place to live. All of our tribal citizens have a sense of Sitka being home. No matter where they livem they always love Sitka. Whatever service that we can do for them to improve their lives, I would like to participate in. Thank you. And I would encourage you to vote in the next tribal election. Thank you very much.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th. Polls will be open for tribal citizens between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at Sheet’ka Kwáan Naa Kahídi Community House. Voters must bring their state or tribal ID card. Absentee ballots are available at the STA Offices (456 Katlian Street) between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. through Monday, November 7th. For more information, contact STA’s Elections Supervisor Rose Demmert at 738-5450.
