FORT SMITH - Salt River First Nation has a new chief.

In an April 30 by-election, Frieda Martselos narrowly won the leadership over Raymond Beaver, a former chief of the Fort Smith-based band.

Frieda Martselos: elected chief of Salt River First Nation.

Martselos garnered 151 votes, compared to 139 for Beaver.

Out of 597 eligible voters, 298 cast ballots for a turnout of 49 per cent.

The new chief is married to Fort Smith Mayor Peter Martselos.

The by-election was called to find a replacement for Jim Schaefer, who resigned as chief on March 1.

Martselos did not return calls seeking comment on her election victory.

However, in an interview prior to the election, Martselos, 55, said she believes in accountability, transparency, honesty and an open-door policy in band affairs.

While well-known in Fort Smith, she has never before held elected office.

"I don't have a lot of political experience, but I'm quite aware of all the issues in the community and the issues concerning Salt River First Nation," she said in the earlier interview.

Among her goals as chief will be to wisely invest revenues from the trust fund established as part of the band's treaty land entitlement settlement of 2002, annual meetings with members in Yellowknife and Edmonton, and more consultation with all members.