First Nunavut-run election kicks off

Armed with a brand-new election law and a brand-new voters list, Elections Nunavut is ready to run its first general election, which kicks off Monday.

“We’re optimistic. I hope people take advantage of the opportunity to become candidates, go out and vote, and participate in this democratic activity,” said Metro Solomon, who is in charge of candidates’ support at Elections Nunavut’s Rankin Inlet office.

The short, 35-day campaign period starts Jan. 12, when candidates may start submitting nomination papers to returning officers in Nunavut’s 19 constituencies.

“As soon as the returning officer’s office is open on the morning of Jan. 12, one could file their nomination papers within hours and become an active campaigner,” Solomon said.

This time, candidates must work fast to gather the 15 constituency signatures and the $200 deposit that must accompany their nomination forms. The nomination period ends only five days later, at 2 p.m. Jan. 16 – one week from today.

Nunavut’s first election, held Feb. 15, 1999, was governed by the Northwest Territories elections act and organized by the Yellowknife-based Elections NWT agency.

But Nunavut’s own agency, Elections Nunavut, will run this one. They’ll follow rules set out in a new, made-in-Nunavut election law, passed during the life of Nunavut’s last legislative assembly, which dissolved today.

Under the direction of Nunavut’s chief electoral officer, Sandy Kusugak, Elections Nunavut staff in Rankin Inlet will co-ordinate and supervise the work of 19 returning officers, 45 deputy returning officers and 45 poll clerks.

Many Nunavut voters have already noticed one of the biggest changes flowing from the new election law – the creation of a new, permanent voters list.

Registration clerks based in public places throughout Nunavut have been buttonholing voters for the past two months, recording their names and addresses for entry into a permanent voters’ registry stored in a computer database.

This replaces the old process known as “enumeration.”

“In the past, in every election, there was an enumeration period. What the new act gives us is a ‘registration’ of voters, and that means putting it into a computer on a database. The only next time you have to worry about it is if you change locations within Nunavut, or if you change your address, or change your name or something,” Solomon said.

The new registry replaces the voters lists used in 1999. That means if you aren’t registered, your name will not appear on the new list.

But it’s not too late. Though the registration period ends Jan. 12, you can view the preliminary voters list inside the returning officer’s office from Jan. 19 until about 8 p.m. Jan. 23 to have your name added if it’s not there.

Voters lists will not be posted in public places.

“The lists will be made public now only to the extent that they are given to candidates who file their nomination papers, and the returning officer will have a copy in their office, which allows anyone who is a voter to go in and see if there is a name on the list,” Solomon said.

That new measure is to provide security and privacy to people, such as victims of family violence who don’t want to be tracked down by an abusive ex-spouse.

Hilary Makpah, who’s in charge of operations and administration at Elections Nunavut, said the organization is pleased so far with the new registration effort.

“It’s going very well. Now, we’ve had most of the communities sending in their registration forms…. We’ve had most of them come in, but we’re still expecting a little bit more,” she said.

Nunavut voters will also notice the new elections law gives them new ways to vote, including a new measure that allows voters to cast ballots for a 10-day period starting Feb. 2.

“Voting at the office of the returning officer starts on Feb. 2 and runs all the way through to Feb. 12. We’re trying to make sure that everyone who wants to vote has the ability or the time provided to vote,” Solomon said.

An advance poll will be held Feb. 9, from noon until 7 p.m. On the morning of Feb. 9, mobile polls will travel where they’re needed for people who are bed-ridden or restricted to their homes.

There’s also a “special ballot” for Nunavut residents living temporarily outside of Nunavut as students, or for people who are going to school in a different community. Students should apply for a special ballot as soon as possible after Jan. 12 by calling 1-800-267-4394.

People may also vote by proxy, and, as in the past, those whose names don’t make it onto the voters’ registry may vote if they fill out a form at the polling station on election day.