Election overturned in Tsiigehtchic after incumbent appeals results

Voters in Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T. are heading back to the polls after the community's electionresults for chief and council of the GwichyaGwich'in Band were successfully appealed.

Losing candidate, incumbent ChiefPhillip Blake, appealed the results after losing by one vote to Russell Andre.

The win was reaffirmed by a recount, which was triggered by the community's election code. It states a recount must take place if the winner doesn't win by at least five per cent of the vote.

• Chief election in Tsiigehtchic, N.W.T., appealed

The community's special election committee met in Fort McPherson Sunday and decided to overturn the June 18 election results due to a procedural mistake, according to Larry Dalley, the GwichyaGwich'inBandmanager.

"The code specifically states [to] mail out ballots," he said.

"People who are members of the band that are living outside of the community should have been sent [ballots] 49 days before the election and they were not sent out."

Dalley said the ballots were sent out about two weeks before the election.

He said he's hoping the new election will take place before the end of summer.