Anderson wins Choctaw chief runoff

Chief Phyliss J. Anderson retained her seat as head of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians after a neck-in-neck runoff election.

Anderson edged out former chief Beasley Denson by 162 votes, according to Misty Dreifuss, director of tribe public affairs.

Anderson won the election with 1,907 votes. Denson garnered 1,745 votes, Dreifuss said.

Anderson and Denson were in a runoff Tuesday as a result of a June 9 election.

Before absentee ballots were counted Wednesday evening, Anderson held a 54-vote lead over Denson.

The paper ballots and the 370 absentee ballots were counted by hand, Dreifuss said.

The results are still "unofficial," Dreifuss said. Denson has three days to contest the results.

In a 2011 runoff, Anderson unseated Denson with 56 percent of the vote, according to The Associated Press.

During the 2011 campaign, the FBI raided the Silver Star Hotel and Casino and the Golden Moon Hotel and Casino. Both properties are part of the Pearl River Resort, which is owned and operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

The FBI did not immediately respond Wednesday to questions regarding the investigation.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has eight communities and nine precincts with 5,432 registered voters, Dreifuss said. Voters in the 2011 election numbered 3,624.

Anderson's camp said they would be issuing a statement Thursday. Denson did not return calls for comment.

Contact Sarah Fowler at sfowler@gannett.com (601) 961-7303. Follow @FowlerSarah on Twitter.