The Ho-Chunk Nation Annual Meeting of the General Council convened on September 20 at the Kalahari Convention Center near Wisconsin Dells, WI.  The General Council branch of government retains the power to set policy for the Ho-Chunk Nation.  All eligible voters of the Ho-Chunk Nation are entitled to participate in General Council.  The quorum requirement was 1,290 tribal members. Quorum is twenty percent of the eligible voters of the Nation.

     The Ho-Chunk Nation Election Board rolled out a new voting process this year, designed to increase participation in a key constitutional amendment vote. The vote took place at this Annual Meeting of the General Council and, for the first time, members also had the option to vote by mail. 

     The amendment, Resolution 09.21.2025-G, that was being voted on would have allowed individuals who were enrolled in other tribes as minors, but who are meeting Ho-Chunk descendancy requirements, to enroll in the Ho-Chunk Nation.

     The Election Board held the polling stations open at the General Council meeting from 8:00 am until two hours after the adjournment.

     However, the amendment did not meet the thirty percent threshold and was therefore defeated.

     Registration for General Council members began at 8:00 am.  The Master of Ceremonies Nathaniel Longtail, Jr., made announcements.  The Enrollment Division was on hand to produce Tribal Identification Cards.  The Information Technology Division assisted with registration.  Various programs, departments, and craft venders exhibited booths in the hallways surrounding the meeting room. 

     Buses originating from La Crosse, St. Paul, Green Bay, Chicago, Wittenberg, and Milwaukee delivered and returned individuals.

     The Sanford WhiteEagle Legion Post 556 and Andrew Blackhawk Post 126 were the Honor Guards.  The Wisconsin Dells drum group rendered songs throughout the day.

     The registered tribal members voted John Stacy to chair the meeting.  Mr. Stacy then requested Margaret Garvin to be the meeting Secretary and Harrison Funmaker to be the Sergeant at Arms.  Traditional Chief Clayton Winneshiek offered an opening prayer.

     Verbal and video reports were given after quorum was established.

     The agenda was then established with one proposed resolution.  The sole resolution was submitted before the deadline.  The deadline was established by the HCN GC Resolution 09.21.24N titled, ‘Resolution to Set Time Parameters on General Council with Limited Exceptions.’

     In part, Resolution 09.21.24N reads, “the Ho-Chunk Nation General Council hereby requires that members of the General Council submit all future General Council Resolutions 60 calendar days prior to the duly called annual meeting with the following exceptions: 1. That the duly called annual meeting date allows for at least a 90 calendar day grace period which would allow General Council Members with at least 30 calendar days to draft resolutions, and if a 90 day grace period is not provided then all Resolutions will be accepted up to the start of the meeting. 2. Resolutions for the purpose of removing elected officials shall be accepted up to the start of the meeting.”

     The Office of General Council announced the deadline date of July 22, 2025, to submit resolutions for the 2025 Annual Meeting. The announcement noted that all proposed resolutions should be submitted via email to Henry.Whitethunder@ho-chunk.com.  This announcement appeared in the Hocak Worak and on social media.

     The agenda with one resolution was approved with 1,066 yes votes, 209 no votes, and 89 abstain votes. Then a vote was called for amending the agenda to add in additional four resolutions that did not meet the 60 calendar days prior to General Council deadline.  The motion was not carried by 576 yes votes, 760 no votes, and 103 abstain votes.

     The meeting moved forward with one resolution on the agenda titled, ‘A Resolution to Begin Constitutional Reform Procedures’ authored by Nathaniel Longtail, Jr.

     Mr. Longtail made a motion to pass the Constitutional Reform Procedures.  The resolution was not carried by 522 yes votes, 662 no votes, and 226 abstain votes.

     Nathaniel Longtail, Jr., moved to adjourn with a second by Valerie Kempen.  The voting was 855 yes votes, 507 no votes, and 71 abstain votes.  The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 3:12 PM.