Southern Ute Indian Tribe members are voting today in a special election for a chairman or chairwoman to succeed Jimmy Newton Jr., who died in late March.

Voting started at 7 a.m. and will end at 7 p.m. Tribal members can vote at the Sun Ute Community Center at 390 Mouache Drive in Ignacio.

Six candidates running for the leadership position. They are: Clement Frost, Matthew Box, Jocelyn Dutchie, Kevin Frost, Barbara Scott-Rarick and Shelly Thompson.

The winner will be announced at 8:30 a.m. Thursday when the vote is certified. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Leonard C. Burch Building at 356 Ouray Drive in Ignacio.

Newton, 37, served the tribe for 11 years as a Tribal Council member, vice-chairman and chairman.

smueller@durangoherald.com