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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
Members of the Fort Smith-based Salt River First Nation have voted to elect six new councillors.

However, the results of the Sept. 24 election are still unofficial because of a close race for the sixth and final position on council.

Judith Gale collected 99 votes for sixth place, but Jeannie Marie-Jewell was close behind with 98 votes.

Lynda Martin, the band's electoral officer, said under Salt River's customary election regulations, Marie-Jewell is entitled to call for a recount.

"The results are unofficial until a recount is complete," said Martin.

Marie-Jewell, a former Thebacha MLA and GNWT cabinet minister, said she was quite surprised there was not an automatic recount because the vote was so close.

"We did request a recount to make it official," she said.

Marie-Jewell said she honestly doesn't know if the result will change because of the recount. "That's why I'm curious."

Martin said a recount is expected to happen sometime this week.

The other results of the election saw Connie Marie Benwell finish first with 136 votes.

There was a tie for second with Ronnie Schaefer and George Cumming each collecting 116 votes. Olga Mansbridge with 109 votes and Joline Beaver with 108 votes were also elected.

There were 15 candidates vying for the six seats on council.

The unsuccessful candidates were Vern Rowe (96 votes); Gloria Villebrun, Kendra Bourke and Brad C. Laviolette (each with 93 votes); Delores Bruno (79 votes); Chantel Bruno (68 votes); Dorothy Laviolette (65 votes); and Tanya Tourangeau (52 votes).

Martin was pleased with the voter turnout for the election.

She noted a high percentage of the approximately 220 eligible voters in Fort Smith cast ballots. Meanwhile, almost half of the 79 eligible voters in Edmonton cast ballots at a poll in the Alberta capital and about a third of the little more than 200 mailed-out ballots were returned.

There was no election for chief on Sept. 24 because Chief David Poitras was elected by acclamation when he was the only candidate nominated by Aug. 22 deadline.

Starting with this election, there will be a general election at Salt River First Nation every two years in the last week of September, at which time the positions of chief and all councillors will be filled. Previously the band held elections for half the council every two years. Candidates were elected to four-year terms.

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