Mounties are investigating after a Sioux Valley Dakota Nation election official alleges threats occurred on election day. Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, located west of Brandon, held its band and council election on Thursday night. About 20 minutes into a livestream posted to the nation’s public YouTube account of the vote counting concludes with an election official saying the count had been paused due to “unfortunate events.” “We had some band member try to rush the hall,” electoral officer Burke Ratte said in the video. “We did have a number of threats throughout the day throughout the community.” Ratte then announced counting would be suspended that night due to safety concerns. In a statement sent to CTV News Winnipeg, RCMP said officers were called to the site around 8:30 p.m. after getting a report of a threat being made towards an electoral official. “At this time, the threat remains unsubstantiated, there have been no arrests, and there have been no reports made to the RCMP of weapons being present at the voting site nor of any damage to the building,” an RCMP spokesperson said. RCMP said it was aware of the election and was in regular contact with First Nation Safety Officers on site before the report. CTV News reached out to Ratte and Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and have not heard back. Hours-long ballot counting resumes The First Nation resumed counting the ballots Friday night, reading every vote out loud during a livestream. Each vote was recorded on large sheets of paper displayed to the camera. Ratte was not among those counting. The first ballot box took four and a half hours to count. At the time of posting, votes were still being tabulated. Controversial election The band’s current chief, Vince Tacan, is one of two candidates running for chief. On Monday, RCMP sent out a media release that said Tacan was charged Nov. 5 in connection with a historic sexual assault that took place more than 40 years ago. RCMP say the alleged victim was a teenager under the age of 16 at the time of the assault, while the suspect was 24 years old. “I will defend myself in court,” Tacan wrote in a statement posted on the First Nation’s website. His statement alleged the announcement made by RCMP was “designed and intended to interfere with our upcoming election.” Tacan’s statement has since been removed from the First Nation’s website. The other candidate running for chief is Jennifer Bone.
