Code of Federal Regulations Title 25. Indians § 25.81.16 Who pays for holding the Secretarial election?

(a) A Secretarial election is a Federal election;  therefore, Federal funding will be used to cover costs. The Bureau will pay for the costs, unless the tribe has received funding for this function through contracts or self-governance compacts entered into under the Indian Self–Determination and Education Assistance Act, as amended, 25 U.S.C. 450f, et seq.

(b) Once a tribe removes the requirement for Secretarial approval, all subsequent elections it holds to amend the governing document are tribal elections and the tribe is responsible for the costs of those elections.