Stephanie A. Bryan was elected as the new Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) tribal chairman Saturday, becoming the first female chair in PCI history.

Bryan received 782 votes in the election, while Robbie McGhee received 605 votes. One vote was cast for a write-in candidate.

Bryan replaces outgoing chairman Buford Rolin, who had served in the position since 2006. Bryan currently serves as the PCI vice chairman, and McGhee serves as treasurer.

Incumbent PCI tribal council members Arthur Mothershed and Garvis Sells both earned re-election for another term, fending off six challengers for the two seats. Mothershed earned 880 votes, and Sells earned 803.

The top challenger was Charlotte Meckel, who earned 316 votes. Carolyn White earned 256 votes, William Bailey Jr. earned 242 votes, Dewitt Carter earned 173 votes and write-in candidate Rodney Exum earned 44 votes. One other vote was cast for a separate write-in candidate.

There was a total of 1,394 General Council Members who voted in Saturday’s tribal election. There were 259 absentee ballots cast, 550 walk-in ballots, and 585 in-person votes.

The results were certified by the PCI Election Board, including chair Edie Jackson, vice chair Gwen Manning and members Velma Crocker, Brenda Faircloth and Carolyn Peterson.

For more on this story, see the Wednesday, June 11, edition of The Atmore Advance.