Babaamaajimowinan (Telling of news in different places)
The Bemidji City Council in northern Minnesota just got more Indigenous.
Dan Jourdain, Red Lake Nation, won a special election on Feb. 9 by defeating a former council member and mayor. Jourdain received 524 votes to Dave Larson's 410 votes in an at-large council seat race. In November's general election, Jourdain came in second to Larson - 1,784 to 2,160 - in a race where the two top vote getters advanced.
With the win, Jourdain joins a 7-person council that includes his mentor and friend Audrey Thayer, White Earth Nation. Thayer was elected in November.
"Being a Native American growing up in the city seemed rather daunting, but that's just the norm," Jourdain said in a short video statement. "It goes to show no matter who you are, if you work hard, good things will eventually occur."
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