Enterprise (Mar 07/05) - Anne Leskiw can blame the luck of the draw for once again missing out on being re-elected to the Enterprise Settlement Council.

Twice in less than three months she has tied in a council election, only to lose the tie-breaking draw.

Anne Leskiw

The latest near miss happened during a Feb. 28 byelection, when Leskiw and another candidate each received 20 votes.

As per the Local Authorities Elections Act, one ballot for each was placed in a ballot box and the name of Robert Fry was drawn.

"I got sick to my stomach, honestly," Leskiw says.

"I said, 'This can't be happening.'"

The same thing occurred in December, when incumbent candidate Leskiw and two others tied for the final two seats on council.

Three names were placed in the ballot box and two were drawn, with Karl Mueller and Amy Mercredi emerging as the winners. Fry had no comment on the validity of deciding elections by a draw.

However, he says he is looking forward to serving on council.

"I don't recall an incident of someone losing like this twice in a row," says Gail Cyr, the NWT's chief municipal electoral officer.

Cyr notes possible changes to the legislation are in the discussion stages.

It would give communities more options in the case of ties, including draws and byelections. Leskiw has requested a recount of the byelection results. If the recount does not go her way, she notes that another council election will be held in December.

"Some people are saying, 'Ten months and run again,'" she says.

Leskiw was disappointed the byelection was called in the first place after Al Flamand resigned from council in December.

She believes she should have been appointed to council.