Gary Batton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gary Batton
Batton in 2015
Chief of the Choctaw Nation
Incumbent
Assumed office April 28, 2014
Deputy	Jack Austin
Preceded by	Gregory E. Pyle
Assistant Chief of the Choctaw Nation
In office May 31, 2007 – April 28, 2014
Leader	Gregory E. Pyle
Preceded by	Mike Bailey
Succeeded by	Jack Austin
Personal details
Born	(1966-12-15) December 15, 1966 (age 58) Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Nationality	American Choctaw Nation
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Angela Batton
Children	2
Education	Southeastern Oklahoma State University (BA)

Gary Dale Batton was born on December 15, 1966. He is a leader and politician for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He is currently the 47th Chief of the Choctaw Nation. The Choctaw Nation is one of the largest official tribes recognized by the U.S. government. It also has the second-largest tribal land area.

Gary Batton became Chief on April 28, 2014, when the previous Chief, Gregory E. Pyle, retired. He was later elected as Chief by the people on July 11, 2015. He won with a large majority of the votes. In 2019 and 2023, he ran for Chief again and faced no opponents, so he was re-elected easily.

Early Life and Education

Gary Batton was born in Wichita, Kansas, on December 15, 1966. His mother was a full member of the Choctaw Nation. His family later moved to Oklahoma. He finished high school in Clayton, Oklahoma, in 1985.

After high school, he went to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He studied Business Management and earned his bachelor's degree in 1989.

While still in college in 1987, Gary Batton started working for the Choctaw Nation. He began as a clerk in the Purchasing Department. After graduating, he became the deputy director of the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority. This job helped provide homes for tribal members.

Career as a Leader

In 1997, Gary Batton became the executive director of the Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority. This role involved managing health services for the tribe. In May 2007, he was chosen to be the Assistant Chief. He served in this important role for many years.

When Chief Gregory E. Pyle retired in April 2014, Gary Batton was appointed as the acting Chief. At that time, he had already worked for the Choctaw Nation for 17 years. This included 13 years as Assistant Chief.

On July 11, 2015, Gary Batton was officially elected as Chief by the Choctaw people. He won with 86.5% of the votes. On September 7, he was sworn in for his first four-year term. A Chief can be elected for an unlimited number of terms. Gary Batton ran for re-election in 2019 and won again. He also won his third term in 2023 without any opposition. As Chief, he has worked with the U.S. government under different presidents.

Important Decisions and Views

Gary Batton has faced some important issues as Chief. One discussion has been about who can become a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. Some people in the U.S. Congress have pushed for the tribe to include "Freedmen." These are descendants of formerly enslaved people who were part of the Choctaw Nation after the Civil War.

Batton believes that this is about the tribe's right to govern itself. This is called tribal sovereignty. He says it is not about race, but about the tribe's own rules for citizenship. Dr. Carter Blue Clark, a professor of Indigenous Law, agrees that tribes should decide their own citizenship rules.

Even though Gary Batton is a Republican, he joined other tribal leaders in supporting a different candidate for governor in 2022. This was a new step, as tribes usually stay neutral in state elections. Some people in the tribal council had different ideas about this decision.

In May 2023, the Choctaw Constitutional Court made an important ruling. The court decided that tribal members have the right to marry, no matter their gender. The court said that the tribe's rules about marriage were limiting the rights of its citizens. These rights are protected by U.S. federal law. After the ruling, Chief Batton supported the court's decision. He stated, "we offer our love and support to the family involved in this case."

Personal Life

Gary Batton lives in Clayton, Oklahoma, with his wife, Angie. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Elections

Images for kids

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  Batton in 2015