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NUNAVUT - Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women hopes to see bigger numbers at the polls during today's territorial election.

The group created Rock the Vote, a four-page elections newsletter designed to educate and empower women to ask questions and cast their ballots.

The federal election drew a record few voters, at only 49.4 per cent of those eligible in Nunavut, and 59.1 per cent overall.

Qulliit planned to finish distributing their newsletter, which also included a list of suggested questions for candidates, ahead of the Nunavut election on Oct. 27.

Homelessness and overcrowding, trauma and climate change are a few of the issues the women's organization has highlighted.

"We wanted to help give women the words to ask candidates who are campaigning door to door, or when they're at a debate, because if we don't ask, they can't tell," said Shylah Elliott, executive director of Qulliit.

The newsletter is the second part of an engagement campaign which began with a leadership forum last spring.

Women's Voices in Leadership has been planned as a multi-year project to engage more women in politics and decision-making in Nunavut.

Based on a similar model in the NWT, activities include a women and elections forum, which was designed to give women the tools to participate in campaigns.

"I grew up when the men had the big role in politics. We didn't see a lot of women in those roles, so it's nice to see more getting involved in politics," said Coral Harbour's Leonie Duffy, vice-president of Qulliit.

"In some ways, women are more sensitive to women's issues. Many men are sensitive too, but it's not the same."

Family demands sometimes make it difficult for women to enter the political arena, according to Duffy.

"They have to leave their communities, families, do lots of travelling.

"For the territorial level, it means moving to Iqaluit for at least part of the year," she said.

With only 10 of the 50 declared candidates being women, there is obviously a long way to go, according to Qulliit member Trista Mercer.

She pointed to a United Nations recommendation, which touts 30 per cent as the acceptable rate of female representation, versus 10.5 per cent in Nunavut's last legislative assembly.

"We are very, very proud of all the women who are running, but we do need more representation," Mercer said.