Oil-Rich North Dakota Reservation to Hold Primary Election

WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — Members of North Dakota's oil-rich Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation go to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that will determine the two candidates who will vie for the leadership of the tribes in November.

The candidates running for chairman are incumbent Tex Hall, Tribal Attorney Damon Williams, former chairman Marcus Levings, Councilman Ken Hall, Councilman Randy Phelan and tribal Tax Director Mark Fox.

The primary will also determine the final two candidates for Tribal Business Council representative spots in three Fort Berthold Indian Reservation segments.

Those who advance from Tuesday's contest will meet in a Nov. 4 general election.

The reservation represents roughly a third of North Dakota's more than one million barrels of oil produced daily.