Sarcee re-elect Cliff Big Plume

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SARCEE RESERVE - Chief Clifford Big Plume, who narrowly lost the 1984 election, was soundly re-elected last Wednesday with a substantial majority.

Big Plume defeated incumbent Roy Whitney by nine votes, receiving 106 votes to Whitney's 97. Other challenger Bruce Starlight received 55 votes.

The election was the third election in as many years for the band, whose reserve lies on Calgary's western boundary.

Last year, due to an appeal to the Department of Indian Affairs over a one vote majority Whitney received in 1984, another election just for the chieftainship was held. Whitney won that election with a majority of 31 votes.

This year the band had a high vote turnout of about 73 per cent and about 253

of the band's eligible 360 voters cast ballots

. Elected to council were incumbents Bradford Little Light, Tom Runner and Harvey Meguinis. New councillors are former chief Gordon Crowchild, Gilbert Crowchild, John James Whitney and Margaret Big Plume.