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Baker is the New Cherokee Chief

By A-P

Tulsa, OK – TULSA, Okla. (AP) The Cherokee Nation's election commission has certified voting results showing that longtime tribal councilman Bill John Baker has defeated incumbent Chad Smith for chief of Oklahoma's largest Indian tribe.

Wednesday's announcement put Baker ahead of Smith by nearly 1,600 votes 10,703 to 9,128. Smith has five days to request a recount.

After the initial results came in Tuesday, Smith said he was "disappointed" in the election returns and hedged in a statement that he would wait for word from the election commission on the certified count.