Seminole Nation Executive Branch

The office of the principal chief is held by election every four years by a vote of enrolled tribal members. It is this office which holds the executive authority of the Seminole Nation, and it is the Chief's duties to preside over all the meeting of the General Council. The Chief will vote at a General Council meeting in the case of a tie.

Principal Chief Enoch Kelly Haney

Kelly had an humble beginning in rural Seminole County, and his modest life has guided his perspective of honesty, integrity, and fairness which has made the way for his esteemed accomplishments in politics. Kelly was a State Senator in the Oklahoma Legislature from 1986 to 2002 and was a State Representative from 1980 to 1986.

Kelly was the first full blood American Indian to serve in the Oklahoma Legislature. He also became the Vice Chair of Appropriations his second term in the House before ultimately becoming the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the Oklahoma State Senate. In addition to this significant accomplishment, he was also the chief architect of legislation designed to develop and implement education programs for at-risk students (Alternative Education) and provided legislative leadership for the development of the $140 million American Indian Cultural Center in Oklahoma City. Kelly was also one of 20 legislators chosen to serve on the Executive Committee of the Nation Conference of State Legislators.

In 2005, after two decades of accomplishments in the State Legislature, Kelly Haney was sworn into the office of Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. This was not Kelly’s first involvement with the Nation, as he also served as a Councilman, Band Chief, Business Consultant, and Planner in the 1970’s. Kelly has been involved in tribal and state leadership and politics a majority of his life.

According to Kelly, though, “We get to where we are by standing on the shoulders of those who came before us.” Since before statehood, the Haney family has been involved in tribal and state politics. In 1903, Samuel Haney, Kelly’s Great Uncle, was Vice Chief of the Seminole Nation, Grandfather Willie Haney was Chief in the 1940’s and provided leadership to the Democratic Party of Seminole County in the 1930’s, and Uncle Jerry Haney was Principal Chief in the 1990’s. Therefore, we can probably look forward to seeing Haney leadership in the future.

Assistant Chief Larry Harrison