By Nicholas Grube

Triplicate staff writer

The Yurok Tribal Council has three seats up for election this year.

Incumbents in the North, Requa and Weitchpec districts will all face challengers in the coming primary election scheduled for Oct. 8.

Candidates need more than 50 percent of the vote in order to win the election, otherwise the top two vote getters in each district will go to a Nov. 5 run-off election.

Terms on the Tribal Council are three years.

In the North District, incumbent Marjorie Donahue Buckskin will faces challenges from Jack Mattz, Yvonne Miller, Hector Natt, Sr., and John Oliphant.

Requa District incumbent Ray Mattz will also have four other candidates vying for his seat on the council. Ron Bates, David L. Gensaw, Sr., Sam L. Gensaw, II, and David Severns will all compete with Mattz for the Requa seat.

The Weitchpec District only has two candidates in the upcoming primary election, meaning whoever wins will take the seat on the Tribal Council. Incumbent Sid Nix will face off against Frankie Joe Myers for that position.

Voting for the North District primary will take place at the Northern California Indian Development Center in Crescent City. Requa District voting is at the Yurok Tribe's Office in Klamath, and the Weitchpec District's voting place is in the Tribe's community center in Weitchpec.

Yurok Tribe members who will be 18 by Oct. 8 must register to vote by Aug. 22. Mail ballots will be sent out Sept. 12.

For more information regarding the Yurok Tribal Council election, contact the Yurok Tribe Elections Department at 707-482-1350 or go to the tribe's Web site, www.yuroktribe.org.

Reach Nicholas Grube at ngrube@triplicate.com.