The by-election to replace Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty, who resigned last week, will happen on July 27.
Newly reappointed NWT Commissioner Margaret Thom gave the order for the Chief Electoral Officer to issue a Writ of Election on June 28.
Voter registration begins June 14 and goes until 6:00 p.m. July 23, at www.electionsnwt.ca.
Residents can apply for an absentee ballot by mail, but must do so by 2:00 p.m. on July 17.
Those applications can also be found online at the Elections NWT website and open June 14.
Nomination papers can be dropped off at the Returning Officer’s office, which will be open in the Friendship Centre in Behchoko, on Monday, June 28 at 10:00 a.m. and will receive nomination papers until 2:00 p.m. on July 2.
Laffetry resigned as MLA on June 4, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.
“My five kids grew up I grew up during my 16 years here, I missed so much childhood while they’re growing up, so many of the rites of passage,” he said. “Of course, it’s not just for me, how many baby’s first words, first steps, birthdays, soccer tournaments, laughters, tears have each of us missed because of our duties as MLAs?”
This is first time the Monfwi riding will have had someone other than Lafferty as an MLA since 2005, the year Lafferty was first elected as an MLA.
He was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 — in the latter two the position was acclaimed.
During the 17th Legislative Assembly, Lafferty held the position of Deputy Premier, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister Responsible for Official Languages, and Minister Responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission.
During the 18th Assembly, Lafferty was elected to the position of Speaker.
