October 6, 2025.
The Sault Tribe Board of Directors, through Resolution 2025-164, has requested the tribe’s Legal Department to create a “Pro and Con” list of each type of separation of powers and a survey for board approval to send to the membership. The Election Commission will be sending out this memo and survey asking you, as a tribal member, to vote on the type of separation of powers you would want in a constitutional amendment.
The survey will be handled through our election process and will be mailed mid-October to all Sault Tribe members 18 years and older.
The survey results will be counted by the Election Commission in mid-November and the Board of Directors will use the data gathered from the surveys to guide the next steps toward constitutional reform of the Sault Tribe Constitution.
A successful separation of powers requires that each branch of government be permitted to exercise its duties without undue interference from the other branches of government. It is important for the tribe and its citizens to thoroughly analyze the different ways to structure its government for the benefit of an efficient government and one that works for its citizens and not against it. The Legal Department Pros and Cons memo is attached below. This memo is not exhaustive and tribal members are encouraged to do their own research to make the most informed decisions.
The Sault Tribe Legal Department can be reached at legal@saulttribe.net if any tribal members have any comments, questions, or concerns.