Constitution Commission Survey #2
  • Constitution Commission Survey #2

  • In general, a constitution is an agreement among a people about how their government should be run. It is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents which defines the structure, powers and responsibilities of a government and guarantees certain rights to its citizens. It reflects the values of the people by stating who is considered a citizen, what rights and responsibilities those citizens have, how those rights are defended and how those responsibilities are enforced. Common sections of a constitution include: a Bill of Rights, the definition of a citizen, how to structure the government, how government officials are elected, appointed or removed, and how changes to the constitution are made.

     

    Please complete this 15-question survey on the following constitutional topics: Enrollment Criteria, Bill of Rights, and Structure of the Government. If you’d like to view the full Caddo Constitution, click here and scroll to the bottom of the webpage.

     

    At the end of the survey, there will be a text box in which you can add any comments or questions about these topics or anything you feel we missed.

     

    Current Caddo enrollment criteria:

     

    1. Any person who is at least 1/16 Indian blood AND is descended from an original Caddo allottee AND is not enrolled in another Tribe is eligible for enrollment.  Dual citizenship with another Tribe is not allowed.
    2. There are also provisions for adoption and those enrolled before June 26, 1976
  • Current Caddo Nation Bill of Rights:

    1. We have freedom of worship, conscience, speech, press, assembly, and association
    2. The Nation cannot abridge the rights of its citizens granted by the US or Oklahoma governments and the Nation adheres to the provisions of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968
    3. The Caddo constitution cannot alter or abridge the property rights of a member without the consent of the member.
    4. Please refer to the full constitution for details.
  • Current Caddo citizen representation:

    The Tribal Council currently has four (4) District Representatives: Binger, Anadarko, Fort Cobb, and Oklahoma City.  These four districts represent approximately 23% of Caddo citizens 18 years or older.  The remaining 77% have no direct representation on the Tribal Council. Although the current Caddo constitution allows for more districts, there is currently no requirement to represent all citizens regardless of where they live.

  • Current Caddo government structure:

    A single branch consisting of the Tribal Council with all powers to conduct business, pass ordinances, appoint committees, appoint the Election Board, and enter into inter-tribal affiliations.  Please refer to the full constitution for details.

    Some examples of government branches are:  Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Tribal Council, Cultural Advisory Council, Matriarch Council, Youth Council, Elder Council, Business Council

  • The Caddo constitution currently does not reflect our sovereignty by requiring approval from the United States government.

  • Thank you for participating in the Caddo Constitution Commission’s second survey. The commissioners are looking forward to including your recommendations in our report to the Tribal Council.

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