Our Current membership requirements:
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The membership of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation shall consist of the following persons:
(a) All persons born prior to February 19, 1976 (date of approval of this constitution) who qualified for membership under the previous membership requirements of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
(b) All persons of Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian blood born on or after February 19, 1976 (date of approval of this constitution) who possess at least one-fourth (1/4) degree Indian blood, who are descendants by blood of Prairie Band Potawatomi allottees of Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian blood and whose membership application has been received by the Nation’s enrollment office on or before May 13, 2000, the date of adoption of this amendment.
(c) All persons whose membership applications are received by the Nation’s enrollment office after the adoption of this amendment who possess at least one-fourth (1/4) degree Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian blood.
(d) The blood degrees shown on the Prairie Band of Potawatomi 1940 Census Roll shall be used in all cases for computing the degree of Potawatomi Indian blood.
Section 2. Any person who has shared in any land or money by virtue of having been enrolled as a member of another Indian tribe shall not be enrolled as a member of the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians following the effective date of this amendment.
Section 3. Any person who meets the eligibility criteria in Section 1 but is enrolled as a member of another Indian tribe may be enrolled as a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation – 3 – Tribal Constitution
Approved December 6, 2007
Nation provided that they have not shared in any land or money by virtue of their enrollment with the other tribe and provided further that they execute a relinquishment of membership from all other tribes.
Section 4. The Tribal Council shall have the power to adopt ordinances consistent with this constitution governing future membership, loss of membership, and the adoption of members into the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
Membership Participation
ARTICLE XI – POPULAR PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT
Section 1. Initiative. Upon receipt of a valid petition signed by at least three hundred (300) adult enrolled tribal members, it shall be the duty of the Election Board to call and conduct within sixty (60) days, an initiative election to be conducted at a special meeting of the General Council. Such meeting shall be for the purpose of presenting to the qualified voters for their determination any issue or question, except recall, and as otherwise provided by this constitution.
If the Election Board refuses to notify the petition spokesman of the validation, or invalidation of the petition, within 15 days or refuses to call and conduct an initiative election, the petition spokesman shall be empowered to do so. If the Election Board determines that the petition is invalid because of minor errors that can be corrected, the petition spokesman shall be officially notified and given at least one opportunity to bring the petition up to validation according to the petitioning provisions of the Election Ordinance.
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation – 11 – Tribal Constitution Approved December 6, 2007
A decision by the majority of those voting shall be binding on the Tribal Council until it expires by its own terms or is otherwise changed by action of the voters. A quorum must be present to validate such action. Once an initiative issue has been submitted to the voters and rejected, the same issue shall not again be considered for such action for at least six (6) months.
Section 2. Referendum. Upon receipt of a valid resolution supported by an affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of the Tribal Council, the Election Board shall refer to the voters for their determination, such issue requested by the Tribal Council. The Election Board shall decide whether the referendum will be conducted by mail or at an annual or special meeting of the General Council provided a quorum is present. Except for special meetings called for referendum purposes, it shall not be necessary to give prior notice of the matter being referred to the voters. The vote of the General Council shall decide the issue and such decision shall be binding on the Tribal Council until otherwise changed by the voters; provided, a quorum is present.
Amendments:
ARTICLE XV – AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may only be amended through a majority vote of eligible voters in an election called for that purpose by the Election Board and conducted by mail.
It shall be the duty of the Election Board to call an Amendment Meeting of the General Council on a proposed amendment upon petition of three hundred (300) eligible voters or upon request by a majority vote of the Tribal Council.
Proposed amendments initiated by petition shall be subject to the following: within fifteen (15) days of receiving the petition, the Election Board shall review the petition and determine its validity, including a determination as to the required number of signatures, whether the signatures are valid and if they are eligible voters. If the petition is determined to be valid, the Election Board shall call and conduct an Amendment Meeting of the General Council within sixty (60) days of its determination to discuss the proposed amendment. If the petition is determined to be invalid, the petition spokesperson shall be notified and given at least one opportunity to correct any deficiencies. If the Election Board for any reason fails to act upon the petition within fifteen (15) days, it shall be deemed valid and the petition spokesperson shall be empowered to call and conduct the meeting of the General Council to discuss the proposed amendment.
The Election Board shall also call and conduct an Amendment Meeting of the General Council within sixty (60) days to discuss a proposed amendment initiated by the Tribal Council.
Once a proposed amendment is discussed and a majority of those present at the Amendment Meeting vote in favor of the proposed amendment, the proposed amendment shall be mailed out to all eligible voters within thirty (30) days. An amendment is considered approved if a majority votes in favor of the amendment.
After a proposed amendment is mailed out for vote, should it fail, it shall not again be considered for six (6) months. The authority of the Election Board in conducting amendment meetings shall be final and no court shall have any authority to enjoin or interfere with the amendment process.