Melanie Benjamin Re-elected as Mille Lacs Band Chief Executive

Melanie Benjamin will continue to serve as Chief Executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and Virgil Wind will assume the position of District I Representative following a general election that was held last month.

This is Benjamin’s sixth consecutive 4-year term election win. Benjamin received 59% of the vote, while challenger Carolyn Beaulieu received 41% in the race for Chief Executive. In the race for District I Representative, Virgil Wind received 57% while incumbent Sandra Blake received 43% of the vote.

The Band Assembly under the legislative branch consists of one representative from each of the reservation’s three districts and the Secretary/Treasurer, who presides over the Band Assembly as Speaker of the Assembly.

All members of the Band Assembly serve 4-year terms. The Chief Executive leads the executive branch.