The Oglala Lakota Tribe has continued its long pattern of reelecting presidents, just not for back-to-back terms.

John Yellow Bird Steele won his record seventh two-year term yesterday, beating incumbent Bryan Brewer 58-42%.

Brewer, who survived an impeach attempt earlier this year, defeated Steele by 4-points in his first run for office in 2012, but almost didn’t make the general election this year.

In fact there almost wasn’t a general election for president as Steele almost won in the three-candidate primary, coming up less than 1% short of the 50% needed for a direct election.

Steele was first elected president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in 1992 and one of just two presidents to win back-to-back terms…doing it just once. Like Brewer, he has successfully weather an impeachment attempt in the past.

The vice-president’s race was also a rematch from 2012, but incumbent Tom Poor defeated William “Shorty” Brewer both times, taking a 54-46 victory this year.

Oglala Lakota Nation voters also voted to retain tribal Chief Judge Mary Winn on a “yes” or “no” question.