Monday saw nine rural communities across the Northwest territories cast votes in municipal elections to choose new mayors and councillors.
Richard Nerysoo was voted mayor in Fort McPherson with 130 votes, ahead of Shaylene Blake with 70 votes. Blake was elected to city council however, along with Joyce Blake who got 191 votes, Robert Greenland and William R. Koe.
Douglas Yalee was elected mayor of Tulita with 91 votes, beating out Wilfred Lennie Sr. with 68 votes.
It was a crowded field in the city council race in Tulita, with 15 people running. Eight people were voted in: William Andrew, Angela Bernarde, James (Jimmy) Mendo, Robert McPherson, Sally Ann Horassi, Carl Kodakin-Yakeleya Jr., Candice Fraser and Archie Erigaktuk. Erigaktuk beat out the next nearest candidate, Dyanne Doctor, by only five votes — 76 to 71.
The councillor race in Enterprise was even tighter, with only one vote separating elected councillor Barbara Hart and Craig McMaster, who just missed out. The other councillors elected were Allan Flamal and Daren Sopel.
Enterprise’s new mayor is Malcolm MacPhail, who nearly beat out Barbara Hart, his competitor’s vote tally of 20, by just two votes.
Four city councillors were elected in Aklavik, with only Shirley Koe missing out on a position. Dorothy Erigaktoak, Jordan McLeod, Michael McLeod and Richard Storr Sr. were elected as councillors.
Joshua Oliktoak became mayor of Ulukhaktok with 68 votes, beating out Joe Nilgak. Helena Ekootak, Janine Harvey, Delma Klengenberg and Gilbert Olifie were all elected to council, beating out four other candidates.
Paulatuk, Tuktoyaktuk’s councillors were all acclaimed, as was Sachs Harbour’s, with Norman Anikina also running unopposed for mayor of the northernmost community in the territory.
Cindy Villeneuve, Thomas Unka, and Angela MacKay were elected councillors in Fort Resolution.
