Diabo received 542 votes, compared with 275 votes for incumbent Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer and 343 for Gina Deer.
Cody Diabo has been elected as the new grand chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, its chief electoral officer announced on Monday.
Diabo, who said during the campaign he would prioritize services and infrastructure, and advocate for the community’s rights with external governments, received 542 votes from the South Shore community, compared with 275 votes for incumbent Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer and 343 for Gina Deer, a former council chief.
Besides the grand chief, 11 other council chiefs were elected in Saturday’s vote:
- Ryan Montour (872 votes)
- Tonya Perron (869 votes)
- Melanie Morrison (736 votes)
- Arnold Boyer (714 votes)
- Ross Montour (665 votes)
- Paul Rice (628 votes)
- Stephen A. McComber (548 votes)
- David A. Diabo (483 votes)
- Iohahi:io Delisle (480 votes)
- Jeffrey Diabo (455 votes)
- Jeremiah Johnson (406 votes)
Seven other candidates ran for the council but did not get enough votes to be elected: Joshua Mayo, Niihawennah Lahache McComber, Marnie Jacobs, Blue Sky, Carla J. Diabo, Myles McComber and Robert Kennedy Jr.
A total of 1164 ballots were cast, with seven marked as spoiled. Kahnawake has a total population of about 8,000 people.
The new chiefs began their three-year mandate on Monday.