HAY RIVER - West Point First Nation has elected a new chief.

A new chief is now at work at West Point First Nation's band office in Hay River. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Gwen Cayen is now the leader of the Hay River band, after winning against one other candidate for chief in a May 16 byelection.

Cayen collected 10 votes, compared to six for her cousin Courtney Cayen.

"I'm just looking forward to moving forward with West Point and getting all the members on the same page," said Chief Cayen the day following her election win.

The byelection was called after Abner Cayen resigned as chief for personal reasons on April 29.

The former chief was acclaimed to the post in an election in March of last year.

The May 16 byelection also filled two vacancies on council.

Sonya Frise and Lucille Lafferty were elected out of a field of three candidates.

Lafferty received 15 votes, while Frise garnered 12. Kandis Thomas failed to win a seat on council with eight votes.

In the 2010 election, three councillors had been acclaimed to council, leaving one seat empty.

Gwen Cayen created the second vacancy by stepping down from council to run for chief.

Returning officer Heather Coakwell said 21 of the band's 49 eligible voters cast ballots in the byelection.

Coakwell said she was pleased with that turnout, noting she was told by band members that many people were out of town. She heard estimates that about 30 band members were in the community on election day.

West Point First Nation's bylaws require a byelection when a chief resigns, if the next regular election is more than a year away.

The band's next regular election will be in 2013.

Before last year's election, West Point had been without an elected chief and council from April of 2007 when the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada placed the band under third-party management.

The department's move was the result of years of political instability and financial difficulties at the band.

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