Members of the Lumbee Tribe are going to the polls in a special election Tuesday to vote on whether to allow gambling on tribal territory in southeastern North Carolina.
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The vote is only open to enrolled tribal members with updated enrollment cards.
The federal government granted the Lumbees federal recognition last year, a goal the tribe had been working toward for more than a century. That federal recognition could allow gambling on tribal lands.
The amendment to the tribal constitution requires a majority vote of the members.
The Lumbee Tribe is the largest tribe in North Carolina. Most members live in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson and Scotland counties, and the tribe is headquartered in Pembroke.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Catawba Indian Nation already have casinos in North Carolina. Casinos can be a major source of revenue for tribal communities.
Lumbee leaders have proposed a long-term vision for a gambling and entertainment complex in southeastern North Carolina that would include hotels, a casino, a convention center and a golf course.
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Charles Duncan, David Ivey
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