The special election notice. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski.
A special election has been called for Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s two Little Red River Reserve councillor positions “due to irregularities at the polling stations,” according to the Chief Electoral Officer.
Milton Burns issued the announcement to MBC on Tuesday, just over a month after the March 31 LLRIB elections were held. Polls for the special election open on Friday.
Burns said other appeals requests were made after the initial LLRIB election – including one recount – but all were dismissed except for the Little Red River matter. He said the filing date for appeals has now come and gone. Back in March, a number of potential candidates disputed recent rule changes that disqualified them from running in the band’s elections, while the band’s lawyer said the past chief and council had the right to make the change.
Results from the March 31 election show 360 votes cast for Little Red River councillors. Those dismissed results show Keith Merasty receiving nearly double the votes of his opponents, and Tracey Halkett beating her competition by six votes. In total, there are six candidates for the two council positions.
The majority of votes in the contested results were cast on Little Red River Reserve, with many showing up at the polls in Prince Albert, a small number in Saskatoon and three votes coming from Stanley Mission and La Ronge.
Now, three separate polls will open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on May 5. The Little Red River Reserve polls will be located at the White Hall, Prince Albert polls at the Prince Albert Inn’s Waskesiu Room and in Saskatoon at the Ramada Hotel’s Manitoba Room.
Those who were eligible to vote on March 31 can vote, but those who voted for Stanley Mission or La Ronge councillor positions at that time are not eligible to cast a vote in this special election.
All votes will be counted by Burns on Little Red River Reserve.