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The 1976 Great Sioux Reservation tribal elections were the first elections held in the newly recreated Great Sioux Reservation, held on Tuesday, November 2, 1976 to elect a tribal chairman (also called president). Russell Means won the election against the opposition of former tribal chairman Dick Wilson and Tapa Machunashi. Russell Means officially ran as an independent but received broad backing and support from the American Indian Movement who endorsed him as the tribal chairman. In addition, Tapa Machunashi and the NAARP also ran in the elections but officially endorsed Russell Means following his defeat. In the run up to the election, due to the ongoing Prairie Troubles, a wide coalition of native organisations formed a popular front in the election involving AIM, the NAARP and the Maoist Native Alliance for Red Power.

Following the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973 and the start of the Prairie Troubles after the murder of Wesley Bad Heart Bull, tribal elections were held on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Despite AIM winning the primaries, Dick Wilson won the election as a result of electoral fraud. At the same time, Bobby Kennedy's administration began to respond to AIM's demands for the restoration of broken treaties. By 1975, the Great Sioux Reservation was re-established prompting new elections to be held across the reservation. The election was marred by violence as part of the Prairie Troubles. GOONers, native militants, and Neo-Nazis and white farmers participated in political violence involving riots, 1|armed clashes, arson, and bombings. A total of 23 people died, most of whom died in the 1|1976 Diamond Head bombing, in the leadup to the elections and over 300 were injured.

The election saw a sweeping victory for Russel Means and the American Indian Movement, while the NAARP managed to establish a stronger presence within Native American politics. Richard "Dick" Wilson, the former incumbent lost the election in a landslide. Threats to his life by militant groups after the election caused by backlash to the 1|Pine Ridge White Terror resulted in Dick Wilson fleeing the reservation. In addition the GOONers (also known as GOONs) still loyal to Dick Wilson and opposed to the American Indian Movement launched several attacks on local native communities, causing the deaths of 3 civilians and 1 GOON member.

From 1976 to 1992, the American Indian Movement retained control over Pine Ridge. However, in the 1980s, the popular front maintained by all parties broke down due to growing ideological differences. Furthermore, after 1992, due to alleged American government interference, Pine Ridge has never elected an AIM candidate with candidates loyal to the GOONers consistently winning tribal elections.

Since the death of George McGovern in 2012, this is the earliest election where at least one of the major party nominees for president (Carter) or vice president is still alive. Ford died in 2006 and both Mondale and Dole died in 2021.

This is the only election in which all 4 major presidential and vice presidential candidates would be their party's nominee for president and lose. In addition to Ford losing this election, Carter would lose reelection to Reagan in 1980, Mondale would lose to President Reagan in 1984, and Dole would lose to President Bill Clinton in 1996.