By Dave Baxter Local Journalism Initiative reporter A federal judge has ruled the results of a Manitoba First Nation’s election are valid despite evidence of “direct” interference when voters went to the polls in 2023. Federal Justice Ann Marie McDonald ruled last Thursday she would not negate the results of the April 6, 2023 election for chief and council held in the Peguis First Nation, an election that saw current Peguis Chief Stan Bird beat incumbent Glenn Hudson by 440 votes in the community with more than 12,000 members. After losing the election, Hudson launched an appeal asking that the results be thrown out and a new election called claiming that Bird and supporters of Bird had interfered with operations at an advance poll in the community on March, 28,…