Teenager Kateri Lynn among those elected to Dettah council

A 19-year-old woman was among the successful candidates in Dettah’s council election, the returning officer confirmed on Wednesday.

Not only was Kateri Lynn elected, she received the most votes by far of any candidate in either the Dettah or Ndilo council elections.

Lynn received 204 votes. Also elected in Dettah alongside Lynn were Liza Pieper (148 votes), Jessica DeLeary (145), Bobby Drygeese (140), and Jonas Sangris (132).

In Ndilo, the five elected councillors were Justina Black (154 votes), Elizabeth Liske (147), Lena Ann Black (143), Cece Beaulieu (142), and William Lines (116).

The election took place on Monday. There had been nine candidates in Dettah and 12 in Ndilo.

Though it was not immediately possible to confirm the gender identity of all candidates, it appeared voters had elected three of five female candidates in Dettah, and four of six female candidates in Ndilo.

Lynn said before the election she was motivated to run by what she saw as a lack of youth representation and involvement in the communities of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.

“Too many times, youth are usually shut down when they have something to say or are forgotten to be included,” she told NNSL earlier in August.

“I’d attend all these meetings and there was never any youth in attendance. We’re depending on them to set our future but we don’t even have a say in it.”