In 2012 the current chairman Aaron A. Payment was elected by the largest majority in the tribe's modern history. He had first been elected to the Tribal Council in 1996. He was elected as chairman in 2004, defeating a 17-year incumbent. In 2008 he lost his race for re-election to Joe Eitrem, but was re-elected in 2012, 2016 and 2020.Melissa Anders, "2013 Michiganders to Watch: Aaron Payment, Sault Tribe chairman handling casino expansions", Mlive.com, December 2012, accessed 24 December 2015
