Eegeesiak officially off Iqaluit Centre ballot

Okalik Eegeesiak has been formally removed from the ballot in the Iqaluit Centre constituency, after failing to prove that she has lived in Nunavut for the past 12 months.

Chief electoral officer Sandy Kusugak said Friday in a release that Eegeesiak failed to provide any new evidence proving her residency during a hearing on Thursday.

Late last week, an RCMP investigation concluded that Eegeesiak had been a resident of Nunavut for the past 10 consecutive months prior to Monday's election two months shy of the 12 months required under the Nunavut Elections Act.

Kusugak said Monday's election for the Iqaluit Centre constituency will continue without Eegeesiak's name on the ballot.

Earlier this week, Eegeesiak told CBC News that some voters are concerned about what will happen with advance ballots that have already been cast for her.

Kusugak said any advance ballots cast for Eegeesiak will be rejected. It remains unclear if that may have an impact on the outcome of the Iqaluit Centre race, where incumbent Hunter Tootoo is running against Madeleine Redfern and Joe Sageaktook.

Meanwhile, Eegeesiak has hired Edmonton lawyer Steven Cooper, who is also representing former Nunavut politician Jack Anawak's appeal of his disqualification as a candidate in Akulliq.

Cooper told CBC News that he's frustrated with the lack of information coming from Elections Nunavut, especially given officials decided to remove her name from the ballot before the hearing was supposed to take place.