THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - Seven people are running for three seats on the band council of Salt River First Nation (SRFN) in Fort Smith.

The candidates for the Aug. 30 election are incumbent councillors Ronnie Schaefer and Delphine Beaulieu, along with Joline Beaver, Connie Benwell, George Cumming, Jeannie Marie Jewell and John B. Tourangeau.

Nominations closed on July 28.

The vote is being called a transitional election.

That's because members of SRFN approved amendments to the band's customary election regulations in a referendum on June 7.

"One of the things that changed is, rather than having elections every two years for half of council, every two years they will have elections for the chief and all of the councillors," said Al Dumont, the electoral officer for the upcoming election.

Dumont said the new councillors will be elected for two years.

Previously, the chief and the six councillors were elected for four years.

Chief Frieda Martselos and three councillors - Gloria Villebrun, Brad Laviolette and Frederick Beaulieu - are only halfway through the four years they were elected to serve and will complete those terms.

There will be about 650 eligible voters for the election.

Two polling stations will be set up - one in Fort Smith and one in Edmonton. There will also be a process for mail-in ballots.

The June 7 referendum approved 11 amendments to the band's election rules.

Under the switch to the same election date for chief and council every two years, the vote is to take place in the last week of September.

The power to remove a member of council between elections was taken from council and given to band members. The chief or council will recommend removal and call a special membership meeting.

Another notable change is an election appeal arbitrator appointed by council will be replaced with a three-person election review committee appointed by band members.

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