CROW AGENCY - Cedric Black Eagle was elected chairman of the Crow Tribe on Saturday, beating opponent Leroy Not Afraid by a vote of 2,521 to 850.

The unofficial results were announced just before 10 p.m. Black Eagle, formerly vice chairman of the tribe, will formally take office in 10 days, barring any protests over the results. Once he becomes chairman, a second election will be held to fill his former post.

Black Eagle became interim chairman of the tribe in February, after Chairman Carl Venne died of natural causes on Feb. 15. Black Eagle ran for the tribe's top job against nine others and was the top vote-getter in the March 28 primary election, garnering 2,169 votes to Not Afraid's second-place finish with 389 votes.

Black Eagle ran on a platform of prosperity through continuity. He intends to continue work on two of Venne's key goals: seeking passage of the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009 in Congress and seeing construction begin on the $7.5 billion Many Stars coal-to-liquids plant.

The settlement act would include $527 million to build a municipal and industrial water system, for irrigation and for economic development, among other things.

The coal-to-liquids plant would bring thousands of jobs to the reservation initially and hundreds of permanent jobs.

On Saturday, Black Eagle and Not Afraid both spent the day mingling with supporters at outdoor rallies that continued into the evening. The numbers at the rallies paralleled the eventual vote.

At just after 3 p.m., dozens of people filled their plates with steak and fry bread at Not Afraid's barbecue, while hundreds gathered at the park just across the street from the Crow tribal office, the site of Black Eagle's food-filled gathering.

One of Black's supporters, Jackie Old Coyote, 44, of Dunmore, said she voted in favor of Black Eagle for a number of reasons.

"The sovereignty of the Crow Tribe; our economic prosperity; our cultural strength and just the general wellness of the Crow Nation," Old Coyote said.

She called Saturday's vote "the most critical one in my lifetime."

Venne's administration made great strides in helping the Crow Tribe progress, Old Coyote said, and in raising the tribe's profile in the state and nationally as it focuses on economic development.

"I would hate to see this team disrupted," Old Coyote said.

Leila Crazy Mule, 30, of Lodge Grass, who said she comes from a traditional family that puts great value on the land and the water, said she voted for Not Afraid. Not Afraid had said, if elected, he would work to repeal the water compact.

Crazy Mule also said she agrees with Not Afraid's stance on bringing back tribal council meetings, on boosting the number of college scholarships for tribal members and building a dorm at Little Big Horn College.

Not Afraid, after learning the results of the election, congratulated Black Eagle on his victory.

"The Crow Nation now needs to unite for our new chairman," Not Afraid said. "He is my clan son, and my prayers and my hopes and my dreams are with him."

Not Afraid thanked Black Eagle's family members for the sacrifices they have made on behalf of the new chairman.

"And I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for granting me a great race."

Black Eagle said his first task as chairman will be to appoint officials to key posts in his administration and to appoint new people to committees where previous members' terms had expired. He didn't expect to make many changes in personnel.

In regard to the water compact, Black Eagle said his administration would be completing a process that started 10 years ago.

"We're just following through, waiting for Congress to pass it," he said. "Then it will come back to the Crow Tribe, and we'll have the final vote."

Black Eagle mentioned the pressed-brick home project that will produce materials to build homes for 1,900 people in need of permanent dwellings. Jobs are another priority, Black Eagle said.

"I think stimulus funding will help put a lot of people to work, for the next couple of years anyway," he said.

He also reiterated Not Afraid's words, to help the tribe find common ground. Black Eagle said he would like to sit down with those who opposed him in the election, to address their concerns on issues facing the tribe.

"If we're going to progress as a nation, then we need to come together as a tribe and move forward," he said.