Curtis Cesspooch succeeded in retaining his position on the Northern Ute Tribe Business Committee last week by the narrowest of margins.

Although the overwhelming majority of Uintah Band members who took part in last Tuesday’s recall election voted to oust the Business Committee chairman, not enough people came out to the polls to make the vote count.

“They needed about 122 votes of all eligible voters, but they got 118, therefore (the election) is invalid,” Cesspooch said, referring to a requirement in the tribe’s election ordinance that one-third of eligible band members vote in a recall to make it valid.

Eighty-eight of the 118 Uintahs who took part in the election voted to remove Cesspooch from office. Only 30 people voted to retain Cesspooch, according to the official results posted in the tribal administration building Thursday afternoon.

“The only reason for the recall again is ‘gross misconduct’ and for not listening to the people,” Cesspooch said. “It’s surprising that 88 of them still want me out. These must be the people who totally believe what they are being told.”

Ute Business Committee member Stewart Pike, a vocal critic of Cesspooch, said the success or failure of the recall election was up to the tribe’s Election Committee, which certifies the vote.

“The petitioners have 48 hours to decide if they will challenge the vote,” Pike added. “Whatever they decide, we need to get to the people’s business. We have a lot of issues on the reservation.”

No one was available at the tribal election committee office Thursday afternoon for comment on the outcome of the recall election or any possible challenges to the vote.

Despite avoiding removal from office for a second time during his current term, Cesspooch must still serve out the remainder of a 30-day suspension from the Business Committee.

The Aug. 16 suspension, passed in a 3-2 vote by fellow Business Committee members, was intended to allow the recall election to take place and allow any legal challenges to be decided.

Cesspooch said last week that he has little doubt his political opponents on the governing body — Pike, Richard Jenks Jr., and fellow Uintah Band member Irene Cuch — will continue their efforts to have him removed from office.

“I know that Irene will be out in full force campaigning for my removal … that’s her tactic,” Cesspooch said.

Contributing: Lezlee E. Whiting, Uintah Basin Standard