Elisapee Sheutiapik was first elected mayor of Iqaluit in 2003. She was acclaimed to a second term in 2006 and won her third term Monday against rival Jim Little. (CBC)

Elisapee Sheutiapik has won a third term as mayor of Iqaluit, defeating a former city councillor in a close race Monday.

Sheutiapik, who has been the city's mayor since 2003, won with 885 votes or 57.7 per cent of the votes cast. Her opponent, Jim Little, secured 649 votes or 42.3 per cent of the vote, according to the city's election website.

"I was trying not to be so overly confident because, after all, elections are not new to me anymore," Sheutiapik said from her coffee shop, the Grind and Brew, where her supporters gathered Monday night.

"I was a little bit surprised at how much he did get. But, you know, hat's off to him. I think he did a great campaign."

Little, who was a councillor on the last city council, challenged Sheutiapik for the mayor's job after council had barred Little from attending in-camera meetings. Earlier this year, Little had gone to the RCMP with concerns about an alleged bribe offered to a unnamed councillor at a recent closed meeting.

Little told CBC News it was too soon to say if he will run for office again.

As for Sheutiapik, she said she looks forward to getting back to business with whomever is elected to council.

Mix of new, familiar council members

The race for council was even closer on Monday, as a total 21 candidates vied for eight seats. Council results were tallied and released nearly three hours after the mayoral race had been decided.

Mary Wilman earned the most votes in the council race with 967 votes or 9.7 per cent of the vote.

Also elected to council were Mary Akpalialuk, David Ell, Natsiq Alainga-Kango and Mat Knicklebein.

Only three members of the previous council were re-elected: David Alexander, Jimmy Kilabuk and Simon Nattaq.

However, there was just one vote separating Alexander from ninth-place candidate Romeyn Stevenson.

Chief returning officer Kirt Ejesiak told CBC News he will be checking to see if that result will automatically trigger a recount. Stevenson can also request a recount, he added.

Edged out of council were incumbents Glenn Williams and Claude Martel.

High voter turnout expected

Earlier Monday, many residents in the Nunavut capital flocked to polls at the Cadet Hall and Abe Opik Hall in nearby Apex to cast ballots from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. ET.

Although voter turnout figures were not available Monday night, Ejesiak said turnout could very well be double that of the last civic vote in 2006, partly because of a higher number of candidates. Only nine people ran for council in 2006.

"We've had a steady stream of people coming in, which is great for us," he said Monday afternoon. "We encouraged everyone to vote early and I think everyone's taken our advice.

"We actually hired more staff this election, expecting a higher turnout."

Members of education authorities in Iqaluit and Apex have been acclaimed.