Incumbents returned to Swinomish Senate

Chester Cayou, Jr. and Brian Wilbur were each re-elected to five-year terms on the 11-member Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Senate.

In an election held Sunday, Cayou garnered 135 votes, with his challenger, La Conner School Board President Janie Beasley, coming in a close second with 118.

Wilbur, who was challenged by Theodore Edge, Sr., won re-election to his position 183 to 71.

Shelly Roberts, executive assistant with the tribal government, said the Swinomish Senate consists of 11 members, whose terms are staggered so that elections are held yearly.

The Senate is the governing body of the tribe, which operates agencies, including police, social services, housing, fisheries and a tribal court.

The reservation encompasses about 15 square miles on the eastern portion of Fidalgo Island and operates several businesses, including a fish processing enterprise that produces the Native Catch brand of locally caught canned salmon and the Swinomish Resort and Casino.