Carlos Hernandez

BOIS FORTE — In a tightly contested special general election on Tuesday, June 17, Carlos A. Hernandez narrowly defeated Travis Morrison to become the new tribal chair for the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa.
The final tally, certified by the Bois Forte General Election Board, showed Hernandez with 170 votes to Morrison’s 167 – a three-vote margin out of 340 total ballots cast.
Hernandez, a former tribal and federal law enforcement officer, edged out Morrison, who previously served eight years on the tribal council before stepping away in 2024.

How the votes broke down
The race revealed sharply divided preferences across precincts:
• District I – Nett Lake leaned toward Morrison, who received 65 votes to Hernandez’s 40 – a 25-vote advantage.
• District II – Vermilion flipped the other way, with Hernandez capturing 73 votes to Morrison’s 64.
• Urban site precincts both favored Hernandez. He led 19-11 in Minneapolis and edged Morrison 12-11 in Duluth.
• Absentee ballots gave Hernandez a 10-vote edge, with 26 votes to Morrison’s 16.
Hernandez’s performance in Vermilion, the urban precincts, and absentee balloting proved critical in offsetting Morrison’s stronger showing in Nett Lake.
The results reflect not only a closely divided electorate but also the influence of off-reservation voters in influencing tribal leadership outcomes.