Meet District 1’s New Legislator, Steve Livingston

After CPN’s June election, Anderson and Hardin family member Steve Livingston was elected as legislator for District 1. Read below for a Q&A where you can learn a little more about him.

Where are you from originally, and where do you live now?

I was born in New Britain, Connecticut, but I was raised in Sylvania, Ohio, and live in Maumee, Ohio, today.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a senior engineering manager at Sinch, where I lead four engineering teams in our email division. My love for programming began at a young age. My grandfather ran his own computer business in the 1980s, and I was fortunate to turn that early interest into a rewarding career.

I’ve been blessed with a beautiful, blended family alongside my partner, Laura. Together we raise her daughters, Brooklyn and Emersyn, my daughter Caitlyn, and my adult son Chase, who is now out of the house and charting his own path. Much of our time is spent running kids to activities, but we also enjoy being together at our family property in Hillsdale, Michigan. I’m also close with my two sisters, Staci and Jenna, and my mom, Dana. My dad, who was Citizen Potawatomi, passed away suddenly in early 2020. That loss, together with my sobriety, reshaped how I live — more intentional, more present and more grateful for the time we have.

I’m passionate about learning and sharing our Bodwéwadmimwen language, staying active in our Tribal government, and being engaged in the larger Potawatomi community. I also enjoy golfing, fishing, hunting and working on technical projects that keep me challenged and creative.

What inspired you to run for office?

I was inspired to run largely out of a desire to be informed and engaged with the goings on of our Tribal government and the challenges I faced with access to information. As citizens of a sovereign Nation, I believe that comes with both rights and responsibilities, and at times I didn’t feel like I had the tools or access to engage with our government. It was important to me to step up and act on the issues I’d been talking about for years. I take the role of legislator seriously, shaping ideas that support our community, while staying grounded in community and the traditional values we hold as Bodwéwadmik.

What has your experience been like so far?

The experience has been incredibly rewarding. Tribal employees I’ve worked with have been professional and deeply committed to serving our people.

From a governance standpoint, much of it has been what I expected — both opportunities and roadblocks. There have been bright spots where things moved efficiently and in good faith, and moments that were harder than they should have been. I stay focused on the larger goal: building a government that works for our people and ensuring more citizens have meaningful ways to be heard and involved.

What has surprised me most is the emotional depth of this role. I came in thinking about policy — writing legislation, improving systems, advocating for transparency. But I quickly realized it’s just as much about people as it is about policy. Staying connected to our community is what will guide my decisions in this role.

What do you hope to accomplish as a legislator?

The list is long, but I’m clear that I’m just one voice with one vote — I can’t do these things alone. What I can do is bring ideas forward, work with others, and push for changes that make our community stronger.

One area I care deeply about is voter participation. Our election code needs updates to make the process more reliable. Too many citizens have told me they never receive ballot request forms or mail them in and still don’t get a ballot. I experienced this myself — despite being on the ballot, I was told I wasn’t even on the roll when I voted in person. We should adopt best practices like ballot tracking and allow ballot requests through our Tribal portal. To be clear, I don’t support digital voting, but requesting a ballot should be as simple and secure as other services we already provide.

Transparency is another priority. Our financial statements used to be printed in the Hownikan but haven’t been for years. If we want citizens engaged, we need to give them a reason. Other tribal nations, like the Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw, share financial reports with their citizens. We owe our people the same.

I’d also like to see more opportunities for citizens to help shape policy. The Pokagon Band has advisory committees on food sovereignty, health, ethics and land use. No legislator is an expert in everything, and we shouldn’t pretend to be. Boards and committees made up of citizens, elders and youth would only strengthen our decisions.

Beyond that, I’d like us to think bigger about collaboration and identity. Joining the Bodéwadmi Confederation would deepen ties with other Potawatomi communities and help build a shared “Potawatomi economy.” We also need to keep investing in housing, health and services for our citizens.

Most of all, I want our decisions to follow a strategic plan shaped by broad community input and grounded in our values as Bodwéwadmik.

What would you like to communicate to your constituents?

Representing you is an honor, and I want every citizen in District 1 to feel connected. I do my best to be accessible and present, but today I only have contact information for about 150–170 of our nearly 3,000 citizens. Please visit cpndistrict1.com to stay informed and share your contact information so I can keep you in the loop.

Any other thoughts?

Be involved. Our future depends on carrying forward our traditions and language, and our government works best when citizens are engaged — voting, serving, asking questions and staying informed. I encourage you to reach out and share what matters to you. I may not always have the answer you hope for, but I’ll be accessible, transparent and committed to bringing your voice forward.