A months-long dispute gripping the Northern Cheyenne Tribe centers around who is in charge and a controversial election that excludes women candidates scheduled for Oct. 30 is only causing more confusion.

The volatile situation sparked last spring when Northern Cheyenne Tribal President Gene Small, a rancher who campaigned in 2024 on transparency , initiated an audit into the council’s use of federal COVID-19 relief funds. Some council members balked, but the examination moved forward on a 6-5 vote , and the fallout since the audit got underway has burned through the tribal government.

Headquartered in southeast Montana, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe has around 12,403 enrolled members, 4,618 of whom live on the reservation, according to the tribe’s enrollment office.

Events have b

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