New Ulukhaktok councillors were drawn from a hat on Monday after a three-way tie for two seats as various NWT communities held municipal elections.
With four vacant seats, Kimberly Joss received 58 votes and Joyce Banksland 39 votes to fill two.
But three candidates finished next in line on 34 votes each: Janet Kanayok, Susie Memogana and Micah Okheena.
Returning officer Laverna Klengenberg said she placed the names of the three candidates into a hat and had the deputy returning officer draw two winners.
Kanayok and Memogana were duly drawn from the hat and elected.
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The process of drawing names from a hat in that situation is outlined in the NWT’s Local Authorities Elections Act (section 75).
Meanwhile, in Tuktoyaktuk, the community has a new mayor in Vince Teddy.
The outgoing Erwin Elias was set to be replaced by one of three candidates. Teddy received 145 votes while Darlene Gruben received 84 and Eugene Gruben 38.
Elias had served as the community’s mayor for six years before deciding not to run again. He was acclaimed in 2019 and 2023, defeating Darlene Gruben by 122 votes to 105 in 2021.
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Councillors elected in Tuk were Jocelyn Noksana, Joshua Campbell, Jackie Jacobson and Chukita Gruben.
Incumbent Jordan McLeod was acclaimed to another term as mayor of Aklavik. Karlyn Blake, Courtney Charlie, Eddie Greenland and Dave McLeod were elected to two-year council terms and Kathy Greenland to a one-year term.
Barbara Hart was acclaimed as the new mayor of Enterprise, which is returning from just over half a year under a public administrator. Evellyn Coleman, Mike Kimble and Lawrence Poitras were acclaimed to council.
Fort Providence had an election for four vacant council positions in which Wayne Sanderson, Trisha Landry, Bernadette Landry and Margaret Thom were elected. Mayor Danny Beaulieu, re-elected in 2024, has two years of his term still to serve.
Fort McPherson similarly held an election for vacant council seats with Rebecca Blake acclaimed as mayor last year. Those results were not in by late Monday night.
We’re also awaiting details from Sachs Harbour’s election.
For a full list of when each NWT community will hold its next election, visit the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ website.
