The eligibility of three candidates running in the upcoming Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana election is heading for tribal court on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
Eight tribal citizens have filed a complaint in Coushatta Tribal Court, challenging the Tribal Election Committee's decision to allow Crystal Williams, Kelly Collins, and Kayla Guillory to appear on the May 31, 2025 ballot. Williams is running for Tribal Chairperson, while Collins and Guillory are seeking seats on the Tribal Council.
The plaintiffs argue that the Election Committee violated tribal election rules by approving the candidacies of individuals who should have been deemed ineligible. Members of the Tribal Election Committee are also named in the complaint.
According to the filing, Williams did not resign from her role as acting chairperson before submitting her candidacy — a requirement for all candidates currently holding Tribal Council or chairperson positions. Williams had been serving as acting chairperson since August 2024, following the resignation of former Chairman Jonathan Cernek on August 9. She officially resigned on April 2, 2025, missing the March 28 candidacy resignation deadline. The plaintiffs argue this renders her candidacy invalid under the Tribe’s Election Ordinance.
Cernek’s resignation came amid an ongoing investigation into alleged misuse of casino credit cards. Both the National Gaming Commission and the FBI are reportedly involved, and an audit revealed up to $480,000 in misappropriated funds.
The complaint also asserts that Collins and Guillory were originally deemed ineligible due to outstanding debts to the Tribe. Although both have since repaid their debts and were reinstated as candidates, the plaintiffs maintain that repayment occurred after the filing deadline and should not have reversed their disqualification.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to rule that all three candidates be removed from the May 31 ballot.
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