By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
Seneca Nation Councilor Tina Abrams won the Seneca Party nomination for president on Friday over Odie Porter, who is also a councilor on the Allegany Territory.
She is the first woman to be nominated by the Seneca Party for the post of president and would become the first woman to serve as president if elected. The powerful Seneca Party has dominated recent elections.
No slate of opposition candidates has been announced. The election is on Nov. 3.
Abrams polled 245 votes at the Allegany Territory caucus and 460 at the caucus on the Cattaraugus Territory for a total of 705. Porter received 449 votes — 231 on the Allegany Territory and 218 on the Cattaraugus Territory.
Allegany Councilor and former Seneca President Rickey Armstrong Sr. came in third, receiving 312 total votes — 184 votes on the Allegany Territory and 128 on the Cattaraugus Territory.
Abrams was the first female Council administrator, serving from 2012-2022. She recently was honored as A Woman of Distinction by State Sen. George Borrello and in 2025 received the Cattaraugus County Leadership Award from the county Planning Board.
In the two-way race for the treasurer’s nomination, Seneca Clerk Lenith Waterman outpolled Seneca President J. Conrad Seneca by better than two-to-one — 991 to 443. Waterman, who is from the Cattaraugus Territory, received 362 votes on the Allegany Territory and 629 on the Cattaraugus Territory to 270 for Seneca on the Allegany Territory and 173 on the Cattaraugus Territory.
Seneca had endorsed Porter for president, the same office her husband, Robert Odawi Porter, who was president from 2010 to 2012. He had hoped to serve as treasurer for the next two years.
In the Seneca Party nomination for clerk, Bethany Johnson outpolled Dara Lichy 831-598.
Four candidates for councilor were approved at the caucuses on both territories.
On the Allegany Territory, Maurice “Moe” John Sr., a former Seneca president; Jody Clark, William “Billy” Canella and Teresa “Buinchie” Redeye were nominated for councilors.
The Cattaraugus caucus nominated Ross John Sr., Presley “Prez” Redeye, Corbett Seneca and Todd Gates, also a former president, for councilors.
Also nominated were David Isaac for Allegany chief marshal, Randy “Hobbs” White for Allegany marshall and Kerry Kennedy, Cattaraugus poormaster.
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