The Seminole Nation will soon have new leadership.
After a tight race, Seminole Nation citizens ousted both the incumbent principal chief Lewis Johnson and assistant chief Brian Palmer.
Seminole Nation voters decided Sena Michelle Yesslith is fit to serve the tribe over incumbent Lewis Johnson by a slim margin of only 25 votes. Her leadership is something, she says, her father saw coming.
"[When] I had grown up, my dad would have us always go to band meetings with my mom," Yesslith recalled in an interview with the tribe. "He would always tell us, 'It's a matriarch tribe. You're next in line.'"
Now, Yesslith gets to lead Sheila Harjo, who will replace incumbent Assistant Chief Brian Palmer. Harjo noted in a statement that this election highlights the inclusive and equitable present and path ahead.
"To the women of our nation, I want to say that your experiences, perspectives, and contributions are vital to our collective growth and prosperity," Harjo said. "Don't ever doubt your worth or your abilities — you are the backbone of our community, and your leadership is essential to shaping a brighter future for ourselves and future generations."
According to reporting from Non-Doc, Yesslith will be the second female chief of the Seminole Nation, following behind Alice Brown Davis, who led the tribe from 1922 to 1935. Yesslith's background includes experience working for the Seminole Nation General Council and the Wewoka Indian Health Center, among other roles.
"Being personally connected to people who was dealing with things within the tribe — that's where I really got my voice," Yesslith said. "Matter of fact, I had some people come to me and had asked me to help them write plans and write things in place that they felt were unjust within the tribe or the clinic."
The change comes as Seminole citizens questioned the incumbents about the tribe's annual audit. Voters have ousted three incumbent chiefs for replacements in the last eight years.
Despite a narrow loss, Johnson expressed thanks for his ability to guide the tribal nation and work shoulder to shoulder with the other leaders of the five big tribes in Oklahoma.
"I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the members of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma for granting me the honor of serving you in many capacities over the past decades—a journey that began in the early 1990s under the guidance and blessing of our respected elders," Johnson said. "Service to our Nation has been a tradition and calling within my family for generations, and I am humbled to have carried that legacy forward."
Yesslith and Harjo are set to be sworn in at 10 a.m. on Sept. 6 at the Mekusukey Mission in Seminole.
Copyright 2025 KOSU
