Bill John Baker is Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, elected in October 2011.[1] He was repeatedly re-elected to the Tribal Council, where he served 12 years. He is a businessman and has been active in community affairs.
Contents |
Bill John Baker was born in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, where his family has been for four generations. Of mixed race like many Cherokee citizens, he is 1/32 Cherokee by blood.[2] He graduated from Tahlequah High School. In 1972, he graduated from Northeastern State University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and History in Education.[3]
Soon after that, he had an opportunity to take over a furniture store; although a novice, he worked at every job to keep it going. He built it into a going concern known as Baker's Furniture.[4] He also owns several rental properties in Tahlequah.[5]
As his business matured, Baker became more active in the community, serving as the president of the PTA, a coach for youth sports, and a charter member of the Rotary Club. Elected as president of the Tahlequah area Chamber of Commerce, he pulled the organization out of debt during his tenure.
Baker became active in politics. He served a total of 12 years as an elected member of the Council of the Cherokee Nation. He has supported educational and development initiatives for Cherokee, as well as health care.
In 1997 Baker was among the supporters of Joe Byrd, then Principal Chief, during some of the tumultuous political events of 1997[6], when some members boycotted attendance at Council meetings. At one point, the Nation's executive officials' closed the Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal.[7] Byrd was investigated for financial improprieties.
In 1999 Baker ran for deputy chief as a running mate of Joe Byrd. In an extremely close race, Baker was defeated by Hasting Shade, with 3,579 votes to Shade's 3,533 votes.[8]
In 2011 Baker ran for Cherokee Nation principal chief against the 12-year incumbent Chad Smith. Because the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court could not determine the outcome of the very close general election with mathematical certainty, it set a second election for September 24, 2011.[9] The date for absentee ballots was extended to allow for voting by Cherokee Freedmen, based on a negotiated agreement with the federal government.[10] Baker won the special election.[1] Nearly 20,000 people voted in the special election, 5,000 more than had voted in the first one. Baker won by 1,534 votes with nearly 54% of the vote.[10] By agreement with the federal government, in a negotiated decision, Cherokee Freedmen were allowed to vote in this election, although the question of their membership in the tribe is still unresolved since the Nation changed its membership rules.[10]
Baker married Susan Elizabeth "Beth" Hulcher on August 1, 1977. The couple had three daughters and two sons. She died on April 28, 1995.
He married Sherry Jean Robertson,[11] and the couple live in Tahlequah. He is a member of the Baptist Church.[12]