Metis Election for Saskatchewan logo.  Image courtesy of Metis Nation – Saskatchewan 2017 election website.

Nine people have been nominated to run for president of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan in the organization’s upcoming election.

As expected, the list does not include Robert Doucette.

Doucette previously said he wasn’t going to seek re-election.

The candidates seeking to succeed Doucette include Bruce C. Flamont, Steve Fraser, Karen Anne LaRocque, Charlene Lavallee, Lorna Docken Ledoux, Alex Laurent Maurice, Dale McAuley, Glen Hector McCallum and Mike Tanton.

Incumbent MN-S vice-president Gerald Morin is up against five challengers — Darren Wayne Deschambeault, Cheryl Fiddler-Agren-Reed, Louis G. Gardiner, Miranda Moran and Wayne Whitford.

The three candidates for MN-S secretary are Tammy Louise Mah-Fiddler, Lisa McCallum and Ashley Norton.

The election for MN-S treasurer is also a three-way race. May Henderson, Roxanne Marie Kennedy and Mary Ann Morin were all nominated before today’s deadline.

Meanwhile, two people have already been acclaimed to the Provincial Metis Council as area directors. Earl Cook was the only candidate in Northern Region 1, while Ryan Lee Carriere was acclaimed as the area director in Eastern Region 1.

Nominations closed at 2 p.m. this afternoon, but candidates still had until 5 p.m. to decide whether or not to let their name stand or withdraw from the race.

The MN-S election will be held on May 27, but there are early and advance polls for members to vote at prior to Election Day.

Chief electoral officer Loretta Metzger says there will be one advance poll set up in every region on May 20, as well as mobile polls.