A tribal supporter of the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname says she has enough petition signatures to put the question to a vote.
The Spirit Lake tribe is holding its election in May. Eunice Davidson says she's gathered 226 signatures by herself to put the nickname issue on the reservation ballot. She says only 160 names are needed.
Davidson and other nickname supporters plan to turn in their petitions on Friday's deadline day.
If UND wants to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname, it has to get approval from the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Sioux tribes by November 2010.
Standing Rock tribal leaders have opposed the name, and no referendum on the issue has been scheduled.
