Yellowknife (Dec 20/04) - Hamlets and settlements went to the polls Dec. 13, with some unusual results.

In Fort Providence, for example, a candidate for mayor won even though he had asked voters to support another candidate.

Michael Vandell garnered 82 votes, compared to 64 for Margaret Thom.

Vandell changed his mind about running due to work commitments, but missed the deadline for withdrawing his name.

The DIAND employee and president of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation says he is disappointed by his win.

"It would have been nice if I didn't," he says, noting the community would then have a mayor more quickly.

Vandell says he missed the deadline to withdraw by mere hours because he had been travelling. "It wasn't by very much."

He feels MACA should have been a bit more flexible, given the situation.

Gail Cyr, the NWT's chief municipal electoral officer, says Vandell resigned after his win and there will be a byelection in Fort Providence early in the new year.

Thom says the election results were a little bit disappointing. "But I'm over that."

However, she doesn't intend to run in the byelection, explaining it would be difficult to work with the community if she was not its first choice for mayor.

In Enterprise, there was a three-way tie for the final two council seats available.

Incumbents Anne Leskiw and Amy Mercredi and former councillor Karl Mueller all tied with 21 votes.

Under election rules, the returning officer placed a vote for each of the three in a ballot box and drew Mercredi and Mueller's names, thereby officially giving them each 22 votes.

"It's like the 6-49," says Leskiw. "You win or you don't win."

She has requested a recount. If that is unsuccessful, she plans to run again in next year's election.

Mueller was elected to council even though he has sued the settlement over the awarding of a garbage collection contract.

Close vote in Rae-Edzo

Mayor Eddie Koyina was almost re-elected in Rae-Edzo, even though he is serving four months in jail for impaired driving and running another vehicle off the road.

Koyina had tried to withdraw from the election, but missed the deadline.

Chris Daniels garnered 134 votes, compared to 127 for Koyina. Other mayors to lose their bids for re-election included Gary Bristow in Holman, where Peter Malgokak was elected, and Mayor Dave Poirrot for Fort Resolution's Deninoo Community Council, which selects a mayor from among the elected councillors.

Large numbers

Cyr says there was an "amazing" number of candidates.

In all, there were 153 candidates for the open seats, and acclamations in only three communities.

Cyr notes an election was even held in Fort Liard, where council members have been appointed in the last four elections.

There were 15 candidates for mayor in five communities, 93 for 55 seats on the various councils, 41 for 17 seats on four district education authorities and four for three openings on the Aklavik recreation committee.

Cyr also says there may have been a record number of women running this year. Eighty candidates were women, of which 42 were elected or acclaimed.

"Women are right in there," says Cyr.

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The winners are...

Here are the winning candidates from the Dec. 13 hamlet and settlement elections. Depending on the community, the elections included votes for mayors, councillors, district education authority (DEA) members and recreation committee members.

Aklavik

Councillors: Mary Ann Elanik, Roxanne John, Anna Lee McLeod, Dale Semple, Don D. Storr

Recreation Committee: Mary Ruth Meyook, Jonathan Pascal, Don. D. Storr

Enterprise

Councillors: Winnie Cadieux, Amy Mercredi, Karl Mueller

Fort Liard

Councillors: Dolphus Codille, Barbara McLeod, Morris McLeod, Marc Schmitz

DEA: Molly Duntra, Martha Drake, Michael Pealow, Helene Timbre

Fort McPherson

Councillors: Gordon Clark, Judy Colin, Taig Connell, Kendra Francis, Bill Prodromodis, Abe Wilson

DEA: Victoria Alexie, Rebecca Blake, Eva Colin, William George Firth, Mary Ross, Norma Snowshoe, Elizabeth Wright

Fort

Providence

Mayor: Michael Vandell (since resigned)

Councillors: Tina Gargan, Evelyn Krutko, Betty Ann Minoza-Nyuli, Hilda Sabourin

DEA: Shirley Gargan, Dorothy Minoza

Fort Resolution

Councillors: Frank (Rocky) Lafferty, Elizabeth-Ann McKay, Arthur Sanderson, Wilfred Simon

Holman

Mayor: Peter Malgokak

Councillors (acclaimed): Emily Kudlak, Connie Alanak, Simon Kataoyak, Margaret Kanayok, Sarah Kuptana

Paulatuk

Mayor: Ray Ruben Sr.

Councillors: Debbie Gordon-Ruben, Brian Kudlak Sr., Albert Ruben Sr., Lawrence Ruben, Phoebe Ruben, Frances Wolki, Marlene Wolki

Rae-Edzo

Mayor: Chris Daniels

Councillors: Mabel Bohnet, Joseph Eyakfwo, Rosa Mantla, Robert Zoe

Sachs Harbour

Mayor: Andy Carpenter Sr.

Councillors (acclaimed): Kelly Carpenter, Robert Eldridge, Lorna Dillon and one councillor to be appointed

Tuktoyaktuk

Councillors: Merven Gruben, Georgina Jacobson-Masuzumi, Dennis Raddi Sr., Emma Wolki

DEA: Jean Gruben, Jenny Jacobson, Lucille Pokiak, Emma Wolki

Tulita

Mayor (acclaimed): Edward MacCauley

Councillors (acclaimed): Albert Bernarde, Neil MacCauley, Arsenne Menacho, Violet Wrigley, Dougie Yallee