Stewart woman to lead Washoe Tribe

The Washoe Tribe elected the first woman to lead the tribe on Saturday.

Wanda Batchelor of Stewart received 124 votes for tribal chair, according to the tribe's website.

"History has been made as the first female to be elected tribal chairman for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California," she said in an e-mail from Atlanta.

Current chairman Waldo Walker received 85 votes and former chairman Vernon Wyatt received 73.

Batchelor was elected to the Tribal Council as a representative from Stewart four years ago and had previously served as the vice chairwoman of the Stewart colony.

A member of the California Basket Makers Association, she demonstrated her craft at the Native American Cultural and Historic Center during last spring's Genoa Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival.

The election still has to be confirmed by the Tribal Council. The new chairwoman takes office in December.

Washoe Tribal members conducted a nearly clean sweep of the Tribal Council, returning only one incumbent, Chad Malone of the Carson Colony.

New Dresslerville Colony Council members are Lloyd Lee Wyatt and Arlen Wyatt, Stewart Community Council members are David Lee Torn and Dorothy McCloud, Woodfords Community Council members are Daniel Curtis Crawford and Geoffrey Ellis, Off-reservation members are Elwood "Woody" Rakow and Darrel Cruz; and the Carson Colony Council members are Warren Gary Nevers and Chad Malone.