The Ho-Chunk Nation Annual Meeting of the General Council convened 1,889 voting members on September 19, 2026, in Wisconsin Dells, WI.  The General Council branch of government retains the power to set policy for the Ho-Chunk Nation and must meet at least one time each year. 

     This year, quorum was met, and the voting members passed one resolution removing District One Legislative Representative Paul Fox.  Quorum is twenty percent of the Nation’s eligible voters present in General Council.

     Matthew Mann emceed the morning announcements.  The Bearheart singers provided appropriate songs throughout the day.  The Sanford White Post #556 and the Women’s Auxiliary ceremoniously posted the colors.

     The Hoocak Academy ran a Hoocak language Kahoot! game in the main meeting room before quorum was established.  Kahoot! is an online game-based platform where trivia can be easily shared and played. The interactive games covered kinship, clans, emotions, towns, and simple phrases. 

     Various Ho-Chunk Nation Departments set up booths in the hallway outside the main meeting room and employees were on hand to answer questions or inform the Ho-Chunk Nation membership about their programs or services.  The booths closed after quorum was established so that the voting membership could focus on the annual meeting.

     Craft vendors also set up booths.  Some remained open after quorum was met.

     Lunch was served around noon with Troy Nakai offering a word of prayer over the food.

     Verbal and virtual reports were provided while the group gathered to establish quorum.

     Quorum was established at 12:45 pm with 1,332 members.  The quorum requirement was 1,301 tribal members.

     Patrick Houghton, Sr. secured the win to preside as the chairperson for the 2026 Annual Meeting of the General Council.  He requested Carole Mae Decorah serve as the meeting Secretary and Harrison Funmaker serve as Sergeant at Arms. 

     The Ho-Chunk Nation President Jon Greendeer welcomed the membership to the meeting and offered a word of prayer.

     The following agenda was approved with a vote of 1,423 affirmative, 67 no, and 57 abstentions:

     1.  Remove District One Legislative Representative Paul Fox for Malfeasance.

     2.  Authorize Michael Patrick Mullen, Jr. to Give a Short (20-Minutes or Less) Presentation on the ccUlator App to the Ho-Chunk Nation General Council.

     3.  Endorse the Ho-Chunk Nation and Its Members as Official Alpha and Beta Testers for the ccUlator App and to Recognize the Project as an Ongoing Initiative Associated with the Tribe and Its Members.

     4.  Set Virtual Participation in General Council Meetings as the Official Policy of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

     5.  Amend the Ho-Chunk Nation Constitution to Elect the General Council Advocate.

     The Annual Meeting moved forward, and addressed the agenda items.

     The author of the first agenda item, Nathanial Longtail, demanded his five minutes and concluded his speech by saying, “I hereby rescind my motion to adopt this resolution. If any other member of this General Council wishes to step forward and entertain the motion to adopt this resolution, then you are entirely free to do so.”

     Gloria Visintin moved to approve Resolution 09.19.26A to Remove District One Legislative Representative Paul Fox for Malfeasance.  Chelsea Thompson seconded the motion. 

     Paul Fox addressed the General Council.  Mr. Fox explained that the malfeasance charges against him, which occurred in 2001, were already addressed by the Executive Branch and the Administrative Branch, where he lost fleet vehicle privileges for several months.  He feels this removal is a type of double jeopardy and that his term in office is almost over.  Paul Fox mentioned the costs of running a Special Election and asked the General Council to consider this all.

     The motion carried for Resolution 09.19.26A with 692 yes, 682 no, and 249 abstentions.

     Michael Patrick Mullen, Jr. spoke briefly about the next resolution on the agenda.  He is developing an app and wants the General Council to test it.  His first resolution asks for time at the Annual Meeting to make a formal presentation.

     Mr. Mullen motioned to adopt Resolution 09.19.26B to Authorize Michael Patrick Mullen, Jr. to give a short (20-Minutes or less) Presentation on the ccUlator App to the Ho-Chunk Nation General Council.  Anita Alderman provided a second. 

     The motion was defeated, with 356 yes, 1,152 no, and 126 abstentions.

     Mr. Mullen withdrew his second agenda item, the Resolution to Endorse the Ho-Chunk Nation and Its Members as Official Alpha and Beta Testers for the ccUlator App and to Recognize the Project as an Ongoing Initiative Associated with the Tribe and Its Members.  Therefore, the General Council took no action.

     The Annual Meeting moved on to agenda number four.  Henry WhiteThunder moved to approve Resolution 09.19.26C to Set Virtual Participation in Genal Council Meetings as the Official Policy of the Ho-Chunk Nation.  Nathaniel Longtail seconded the motion.

     Discussion of the resolution covered the pros and cons.  Speakers noted that virtual meetings would benefit tribal members living far away or deployed in the military; the expenses of meeting in person; connecting with others in person once a year; technology challenges; challenges in obtaining devices to attend virtually; and that many elders do not understand how to participate virtually.

     The motion to Set Virtual Participation in General Council Meeting was defeated, with 256 yes, 1,279 no, and 87 abstentions.

     The Color Guard requested time to retreat the flags.  The Annual Meeting paused to honor and respectfully take care of the flags flown during the day’s event.

     The meeting then resumed with the final agenda item.  Libby Fairchild motioned to approve Resolution 09.19.26D to Amend the Ho-Chunk Nation Constitution to Elect the General Council Advocate.  Rosetta Hunt provided a second. 

     Discussion touched on oversight of the elected Advocate, renaming the job title, when the election would take place, the salary, and attaching an advisory board.  The call for the question was made, and multiple individuals attempted to resume discussion.  The voting poll then opened.

     The motion for Resolution 09.19.26D was defeated with a vote of 596 yes, 780 no, and 215 abstentions.

     John Stacy moved to adjourn, and Nathaniel Longtail seconded.  The motion carried with a vote of 1,249 yes, 106 no, and 39 abstentions.

     The 2026 Annual General Council adjourned at 3:18 pm.

     Additionally, the Ho-Chunk Nation Election Board conducted a Secretarial Election to amend the Ho-Chunk Nation Constitution.  The proposed amendment reads that, “All persons who were duly enrolled as Ho-Chunk Nation members as of December 31, 1999, will be considered full blood or 4/4 Ho-Chunk blood.”

     However, the required thirty percent of the eligible voters did not cast a vote.  Therefore, the amendment did not pass.