Northwest Territories Election Results

Two incumbents really got wiped out! They must have done something to be so unpopular.


N.W.T. election provided colourful night
Last Updated: Monday, October 1, 2007 | 11:58 PM MT
CBC News
It was the nature of the results as much as the results themselves that gave voters in the Northwest Territories an exciting night.

In one riding, Hay River South, the incumbent Jane Groenewegen was momentarily "defeated" by challenger Marc Miltenberger. Miltenberger led in the polls and was projected to win until all the special votes, such as advance ballots, were counted.

The additional poll vaulted Groenewegen from a few votes behind to more than four per cent ahead.

Yellowknife races

In the territorial capital, four new faces were elected to the legislative assembly as only three incumbents ran in the seven districts.

Dave Ramsay (Kam Lake), Sandy Lee (Range Lake) and Robert Hawkins (Yellowknife Centre) were returned to the assembly.



2 incumbents routed

Two members of the former assembly were roundly defeated. In Nunakput, former MLA Calvin Pokiak finished fourth, behind winner Jackie Jacobson. Vince Teddy finished second and Eddie Dillon was third.

In Tu Nedhe, incumbent Bobby Villeneuve finished fourth in a field of six candidates. Tom Beaulieu won the district, followed by Steve Ellis, Raymond Simon and Villeneuve. James McPherson and Andrew Butler were tied for fifth.

Consensus government

Unlike the provinces and the Yukon, the Northwest Territories runs on a consensus style of government, which means all candidates run as independents in their districts.

The premier, house speaker and cabinet are not chosen until after the election, during a territorial leadership meeting to be held by Oct. 12.

The outgoing premier, Joe Handley, did not run again, after serving one term as the territorial government leader. He was first elected as an MLA in 1999.

Northwest Territories Election Today!

Most election coverage is of the Ontario election. The Newfoundland-Labrador election does not get much coverage because it is so lopsided in favor of the Conservatives but there is little coverage of the Northwest Territories election either where there are no parties.

Northwest Territories residents to elect new members of legislature
Published: Monday, October 1, 2007 | 3:19 AM ET
Canadian Press: THE CANADIAN PRESS
YELLOWKNIFE - Voters in the Northwest Territories go to the polls Monday to elect the new members of the territory's legislature.

Fifty-two candidates are running for the 19 seats in the legislature which operates under a consensus system with no political parties.

The premier and six ministers are chosen by the legislature in a vote that follows the general election, while legislature members who are not elected to cabinet become the unofficial opposition.

Last year, the territory replaced its existing elections legislation with a new Elections and Plebiscites Act, which requires an election to be held every four years on the first Monday in October.

Political observers say the 28-day campaign was dominated by local issues.

They say that crucial issues facing the territory like resource-revenue sharing and a $16-billion natural gas pipeline project were ignored.

© The Canadian Press, 2007