Swinomish Senate primary start of 2024 election season

The calendar has flipped from December to January; 2023 to 2024.

That means it’s a general election year.

And the first local polling are two Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Senate primary races later this month.

Six candidates, including the incumbents, are vying for a pair of five-year terms on the 11-member tribal governing body.

Sen. Eric Day, first elected in 2019, faces challenges from Rodney John and James Bobb for Senate Seat No. 10.

Three-term senator Brian Wilbur is seeking re-election to Seat No. 10, opposed by Bruce James and Myrtle Rivas.

The top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the Feb. 10 general election.

Wilbur, while lauding the strides Swinomish has made since 2009 – from its partnership with La Conner to finance the new award-winning library on Morris Street to its opening of major dental and wellness clinics – continues to direct his focus on the future.

“There is more work to be done,” Wilbur said in an essay submitted to the tribal community’s Qyuuqs publication.

He cited increased housing development and renovations, elder care and assisted living services, master lease negotiations with the Shelter Bay residential community, expansion of Swinomish hotel and medical clinic facilities and an updated sewer treatment agreement with La Conner among priority items.

“As I reflect on the work we’ve accomplished over the last 15 years,” Wilbur said, “it’s clear how much the policies and programs we’ve implemented complement each other to make our community a better place to live.

“We are working,” he added, “to raise the next generation of tribal members to be better than ourselves.”

Wilbur noted that Swinomish has increased its student scholarship program from a one-time $2,500 payment to a full-ride benefit, which “has enabled members to attend schools anywhere in the world, helping them become more educated and more employable to provide services the community needs.”

His multiple tribal assignments include chairmanship of the dental licensing board. Wilbur points out that Swinomish, in conjunction with Skagit Valley College, has embarked on a model dental therapy education center and that the tribal community has spearheaded state legislative changes to authorize dental therapists to work across Washington state.

James, who serves on the Swinomish Gaming Board, fish commission and Tallawhalt Housing Committee, said he embraces public service because it gives him the opportunity to help people.

“Helping people,” said James, “comes naturally to me from teachings from my family and mother, Barb James.”

James wants to rectify the Swinomish housing crunch.

“We have a housing crisis here at Swinomish,” he told Qyuuqs, “and although we do have more houses being built, we aren’t able to build houses at a reasonable price in this current economy.”

James said his work on the housing committee “has taught me about having compassion for our members who need housing and to offer support and resources to them when applying for loans and mortgages.”

James said, additionally, his “main goals are to work hard to represent the voices of our members, update our current enrollment policies and look for funding to provide additional help for our children and elders.”

Rivas, a 1985 La Conner High School graduate, is a 38-year employee of the Swinomish Casino & Lodge.

“I started when it was just the bingo hall,” she recounted, “and I grew up with the property.”

Rivas has built her candidacy around stemming drug abuse, supporting and improving community services and fostering the education and welfare of tribal children.

“My goal,” she said, “is to be the best senator that I can be while working with fellow senators to build a better relationship with our community.”

Day is the senate’s recording secretary. His myriad of tribal tasks include chairing the employment rights office, serving as vice-chair of elder services and membership on the planning, environmental and lands, fireworks and Protect Mother Earth committees.

“I come from a long line of tribal leaders from both sides of my family,” Day shared with Qyuuqs. “As a senator, I’d like to continue paddling forward in a positive direction – continue and expand necessary services, provide more housing and work with law enforcement to keep our community safe and drug free.”

Day is an advocate of trade schools and training opportunities for living wage jobs that provide financial stability as well as a sense of personal accomplishment.

“I support our youth,” he stressed, “in whatever their educational goals might be.”

Day expressed gratitude that the Swinomish Didgwalic Wellness Center has expanded its care and services from 250 to 500 clients, tribal and non-tribal members, both.

As a senator, Day has traveled the nation for conferences and training sessions, including a trip to Anchorage where he witnessed two Swinomish members graduate from a Dental Health Aid Therapy program there.

“We have built a relationship with Skagit Valley College,” he related, “and now offer that same DHAT training.”

John, who narrowly missed advancing to the 2020 general election ballot, has outlined a robust campaign platform highlighting economic development, elder service, support for single parents and work force opportunities.

“We need to get our community involved, get them trained and look at helping members get started being contractors,” John said, “and support tribal member-owned businesses so that way we create jobs that stay within our community and with that you help them have a better future.”

John said he is a good listener who encourages all Swinomish voices to be heard.

“We have a great foundation,” he said, “and need to continue to grow and improve what we have for a better quality of life for our community.”

Bobb, son of late La Conner School board member Susan Edwards Wilbur, for whom the Swinomish Early Education Center is named, is a commercial fisherman who is committed to enhancing and ensuring the safety of the tribal fleet.

“I’m eager to be a part of the solution and contribute to making our community a better and safer place to live,” said Bobb.

Bobb is a proponent of both youth and elder services.

“It’s essential,” he insists, “to bring awareness to the various opportunities available to our youth. I’ve had conversations with collegiate athletes who are leading the way for our younger generation.

“It’s scientifically proven,” he continued, “that social relationships contribute to the longevity and mental well-being of our elders. My objective is to bring elders to witness the strength of our youth while they pursue excellence in academics and sports.”

Bobb said his upbringing was marked by the unifying power of sports as Swinomish athletic teams traveled from tribe to tribe, “bonding with people who would become lifelong friends.”

He said his mother took a similar approach by building relationships with neighboring school systems.

“Her message of ‘education, education, education’ was deeply ingrained in me,” Bobb said, “as was the value of embracing challenges and moving forward.”