Recount Only Action To Come From Appeal Hearing

Thursday, June 02, 2005 at 15:17

 

 

All of the appeals for candidates in this year’s Lac La Ronge Indian Band election are over, and there’s just one outstanding issue that still needs to be settled.

 

Chief Gary Littlepine of the Beardy’s/Okemasis First Nation oversaw this week’s appeals hearings held at the Prince Albert Inn.

 

This morning, he heard a challenge from Clifford McKenzie, who ran for council in Grandmother’s Bay — a race he ultimately lost to Hunter Charles by one vote.

 

McKenzie said he felt one of the deputy electoral officers acted improperly during the election, and that he also opened up a ballot box before he should have.

 

The officer attending the hearing disagreed with McKenzie’s claims, saying he did nothing to prevent McKenzie from winning and he acted as impartially as he could.

 

Littlepine determined that not enough evidence existed to back up McKenzie’s claims, and he ruled the election results stand as is.

 

The only matter to be resolved now involves the electoral section of Hall Lake.

 

Littlepine has ordered chief electoral officer Charles Whitecap to recount the ballots cast on that reserve — including the spoiled ballots — after hearing an appeal from one of the candidates.

 

Whitecap says he will announce the date for the recount early next week.