[RegulatorCountry]

"They are legally a part of the Cherokee Nation through history, precedent, blood and treaty obligations."

The vote pertained to Freedmen who are not Cherokee by blood, as far as what I've read would indicate.

[arthurus]

I believe the "treaty obligations" mean that the US government has to treat the freedmen descendants as Cherokees whether the larger tribe does or not and the USG should continue so.