Iqaluit (Sep 18/06) - Ten will try, but only eight will be able to fit through the door for a seat on Iqaluit city council.

Nominations closed Sept. 11 for the mayoral and council elections scheduled for Oct. 16.

Mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik is the only candidate for the city's top job.

The candidates for council's eight seats include: David Alexander, Oopeetee Atagooyuk, Mark Boudreau, Allen Hayward, Grant Hipfner, Jimmy Kilabuk, and Jim Little. Current councillors Claude Martel, Simon Nattaq and deputy mayor Glen Williams are re-offering.

Sheutiapik said she's "ecstatic" at her acclamation, but added she's concerned about being the only woman on council. Councillors Annie Gordon, Nancy Gillis and Theresa Rodrigue aren't running again.

"It's going to be very different I think," Sheutiapik said. "Maybe it's all going to be about numbers now. I like to say (women) have a little bit of a bigger heart."

Iqalummiut are also scheduled to vote for district education authority members Oct. 16. The city's chief electoral officer last week extended the deadline for nominations for all three boards, since there weren't enough candidates to fill all the seats. There are seven seats on both the Iqaluit and Apex DEAs and five for the Conseil Scolaire Francophone D'Iqaluit. The names of candidates already registered was unavailable until nominations close today, Sept. 18, at 3 p.m.

"We're encouraging the public to check out our website, download the nomination forms and maybe speak to past members, just to get a sense of what's required as a member of those DEAs," chief electoral officer Kirt Ejesiak said Wednesday.

Ejesiak wouldn't say how short the races are on candidates, but said the Municipal Elections Act requires him to give an extra week for nominations if there are fewer candidates than seats.

If none come forward, the eligible candidates will be acclaimed and will appoint enough members to fill the boards.

Visit www.iqaluitelections.ca,