Gjoa Haven choses to remain dry

(updated at 9:40 a.m.)

People in Gjoa Haven decided in a Sept. 19 liquor plebiscite that they want to keep their community dry.

According to Elections Nunavut, 176, or 38 per cent of voters were in favour of change, while 287, or 61 per cent voted to maintain the prohibition on liquor.

They voted “no” to the following question — “Are you in favour of ending the current system of liquor prohibition in Gjoa Haven and establish an alcohol education committee?”

To end the community’s long-standing prohibition on alcohol, 60 per cent of those who voted in the plebiscite — the first in Gjoa Haven since 2005 — would have had to answer “yes” to that question on the ballot.

Fourteen ballots were rejected.

Voter turnout was high, Elections Nunavut said, with 83 per cent of the 571 voters on the municipal voters list coming out to vote.

Residents of this Kitikmeot community, who are 19 and older, were eligible to vote Sept. 12 in an advance poll or on the official plebiscite day of Sept. 19.

In October, 2005, people in Gjoa Haven also voted overwhelmingly to keep their community dry.