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Our Government
The Cherokee Nation is the federally-recognized government of the Cherokee people and as such has sovereign status granted by treaty and law. Its capitol is the W.W. Keeler Complex near Tahlequah, Oklahoma the capital of the Cherokee Nation.
The Constitution of the Cherokee Nation was approved by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs on September 5, 1975 and ratified by the Cherokee people on June 26, 1976. A Constitutional Committee convened in 1999 to create a new Constitution. In 2003 the Cherokee people voted overwhelmingly to accept it. The new Constitution was enacted in 2006 and calls for a tripartite government.
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Executive
The Executive Branch of the Cherokee Nation is charged with the execution of the laws of the Cherokee Nation, establishment of tribal policy and delegation of authority as necessary for the day-to-day operations of all programs and enterprises administered by the Cherokee Nation tribal government. These offices include the Principal Chief, Deputy Principal Chief and four cabinet positions.
Legislative
The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council is the lawmaking branch of the Cherokee Nation’s tri-partite government. The Tribal Council is comprised of 17 elected members who serve staggered four-year terms. Fifteen Council members represent Cherokee Nation citizens who live within districts of the Cherokee Nation’s tribal service jurisdiction, along with two additional At-Large Council members who represent citizens that live outside of the Nation’s boundaries.
Judicial
The Cherokee Nation Judicial Branch consists of three distinct tribal courts, the District Court, the Supreme Court and the Healing and Wellness Court. Each court is open to every person or entity in the 14-county Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Commissions
There are several commissions that are charged with many regulatory functions. Some of the commissions include the following: Constitutional Convention, Election, Tax, Gaming and Environmental Protection.
Marshals
The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service is a full-fledged, certified law enforcement agency with jurisdiction throughout the Cherokee Nation. The Marshal Service is cross deputized with 50 municipal, county, state and federal agencies. With more than 32 Deputy Marshals, the agency offers array of special teams focusing on prevention and justice in matters concerning criminal activities.
Employment
The Cherokee Nation focuses on providing jobs for Cherokees in their communities. The Nation and its businesses offer an array of professional disciplines including human resources, environmental, accounting, information systems, manufacturing, marketing, gaming, business development and many more. If you are interested in working for Cherokee Nation or one of its entities, visit the employment section.
Procurements
This is a direct link to the Procurements Page for those TERO vendors and businesses wishing to do business with the Cherokee Nation.
Citizenship
Today the Cherokee Nations is nearly 300,000 citizens strong, young and old. To be eligible for Cherokee Nation citizenship, individuals must provide documents connecting them to an enrolled lineal ancestor who is listed on the Dawes Roll with a blood degree. CDIB/Tribal Citizenship is traced through natural parents. In cases of adoption, CDIB/Citizenship must be proven through a biological parent to an ancestor registered on the Dawes Roll.
Emergency Management
The Cherokee Nation Emergency Management (CNEM) team is comprised of representatives of many groups throughout the Cherokee Nation government. The team prepares for and responds to disasters and emergencies that occur within the Cherokee Nation.
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