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.
Corrections and Clarifications
- Joe Handley was premier for one term. He was not premier for two terms, as originally written. Oct. 2, 2007|3:50 p.m. ET
N.W.T Votes 2007 »
- Roland promises 'stronger approach' as N.W.T. premier
- Floyd Roland, the new premier of the Northwest Territories, promised a tougher stance in relations with the federal government shortly after becoming the territory's leader on Wednesday.
- Six voted into N.W.T. cabinet
- Six MLAs in the Northwest Territories were picked by their colleagues Wednesday to join newly-chosen Premier Floyd Roland in forming the newest territorial government.
- Delorey returns to N.W.T. Speaker's chair
- Paul Delorey accepted a second term Tuesday as Speaker of the legislative assembly in the Northwest Territories.
- McMeekin loses bid for N.W.T. vote recount
- A Northwest Territories judge has cleared the way for the territory's newly elected MLAs to select a premier, cabinet and speaker, after denying one election candidate a recount of all ballots cast in the Oct. 1 election.
- Behchoko chief to file complaint over N.W.T. election fax
- The chief of Behchoko, N.W.T., says he will name Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. in a formal complaint to Elections N.W.T. over an anonymous fax sent from the company's mine site on the day of the territory's election.
District Profiles
Northwest Territories
Votes Features
- N.W.T. VOTESOctober 1, 2007
- Find your district and voter information.
