Masako Kittosuk was elected mayor of Sanikiluaq on Monday. The election was originally to be held Oct. 23 but was postponed when no candidates initially declared to run. (Photo courtesy of Masako Kittosuk)
Sanikiluaq voters choose teenager as new mayor
Hamlet’s election was postponed after no candidates initially declared to run
Nunavut’s newest mayor is likely its youngest mayor also after Sanikiluaq elected a teenager to lead its council.
In a two-way race, Masako Kittosuk, 18, won the hamlet’s top elected post, receiving 81 votes compared to 39 cast for Alice Mickiyuk, according to Elections Nunavut.
While municipal elections were held across the rest of Nunavut on Oct. 23, the mayoral race in Sanikiluaq was rescheduled for Monday after no candidates initially stepped forward to run.
Neither Kittosuk nor Mickiyuk had ever sought political office previously, but in the run-up to the vote both told Nunatsiaq News they lived in the community all their lives and were passionate about working for positive change.
Kittosuk recently finished school and works at the Northmart and volunteers at the community food hamper.
Also Monday, voters in Kinngait elected seven members to the local district education authority. They are Rosie Pootoogook, Sagiak Pudlat, Chris Pudlat, Simigak Suvega, Martha Pallu Samayualie, Salomonie Ashoona and Ejesiak Z. Ejesiak, according to the Elections Nunavut website.
That vote was initially to be held Oct. 23, however Elections Nunavut detected a discrepancy with the ballot that required a correction.
In an email to Nunatsiaq News, Nunavut chief electoral officer Dustin Fredlund said he ordered the vote moved to Oct. 30 instead “to preserve the integrity of the electoral process by ensuring everyone in Kinngait could vote using the correct ballot.”
Meanwhile, two other election races in Nunavut remain undecided.
In the race for mayor in Sanirajak, a justice of the peace is scheduled to oversee a recount on Friday after top finishers Ammie H. Kipsigak and Philip Anguratsiaq each received 57 votes in the Oct. 23 election.
If there’s no change in the vote count after that, the race will be settled by a draw according to Nunavut election rules. The recount was to have been held last Friday but the justice of the peace’s flight was cancelled.
And in Gjoa Haven, the municipal council election was postponed until Nov. 20 due to the death of a candidate shortly before the vote was to be held on Oct. 23.
What a mess. She needs an education. What’s up with people? And then we hear about the struggles of northern communities. The system of living in communities like is falling behind in the world, while the world becomes seekers of education. This is a joke, and a sign of the times in the backward movement.
At least she is trying something new, there was no one else who came forward to become a candidate other than Alice.
Our previous mayors didn’t have education too but they got elected because people believed in them. Instead discouraging these young people, show them your support.
To those who are complaining about this, should’ve become candidates, really shows how negative your life is when it Comes to social media bullying.
Another person was running for mayor, most likely she is not trusted by most voters, so I’ve heard. There are not a lot of educated people in Sanikiluaq, those who do have the education are not doing anything or prefer to stay home and drink and most people are lazy to work .
Hey Ridiculous, you have put your name in for mayor’s seat so shut up and put up OK???
Response to Ridiculous…you should be happy for the young mayor elect…she will aspire young people to be part of the process,that is crucial to Nunavut,there will certainly be a learning curve,she can only gain from this experience, will broaden her horizons….haven’t the youth of nunavut been neglected ling enough!!….what’s your solution ?ARE YOU PART OF THE PROBLEM RIDICULOUS OR PART OF THE SOLOUTION…stop whineing .you should be proud of this young Inuit ,instead of being a negative entity…
It’s actually neglecting youth to encourage them into jobs and roles all the while bypassing school. It’s been the trend for a long time. That why in the community we haven’t any educated leaders. I’m sure she would serve herself much better and her community if she went on to high education before taking the mayor seat. The society is trying to pay up for lack of education by trying to pave the way for young to have justified reason not to pursue education. This is the story of being behind again and again. But to the young lady, , you have good motivation, but get an Ed, you are still young.
You sure are Ridiculous 🙂
Are there a list of examples you can share in regards to your comment? Are you that uneducated that you think the system is working backwards? What have you done in your younger years to try make a difference in the north? Her resilience in wanting to pursue her dream in serving her community is a good start to her future!
Backwards? My head still aches when I here that word. Backwards is getting a job before getting an education. And the only place to do that is in a backwards environment, where too many are doing things that they not qualified to do , because they never pursue education. And the one’s giving them the job are the same as they are and it continues. In the name of young people’s expense.
This harassment list is not complete, because we don’t have a nurses union, we can’t file complaints and harassment from patients so it’s documented within the healthcare system.
Must be taking a page out of the Trina “mumillaq” qaqqaq handbook. Hope she makes tiktoks about being mayor. Can’t hate on someone for being righteously elected after throwing her hat in the race, no matter how unqualified they may be
Not even old enough to buy a beer but she running a whole town 😆😆😆🚫🚫🚫🍺🍺🍺
In Quebec its 18 yrs old.
Good to know there’s still cowgirls in Nunavut. Only in Canada eh?
So, she was born in 2005… I hope she gets the support she needs and does well. Good Luck to You!
This is very interesting. Young woman becoming a Mayor. She will need alot of support. Let’s work together and support her. I’m sorry for these negative comments. Why not support her instead? Way to go Masako.
It’s not unusual today to see literally that children are running the community in the north. The adults are doing whatever it is, but it appears from all the unhealthy life, maybe children can do better than the abusive lives that been issue by the same said adults, who are now hiding out and too unhealthy.
The younger generations are more mature than the adults these days. They don’t go taking pictures or make TikTok videos of themselves doing money rain.
Congrats to Masako! We need more youth involved. I wonder how have a minor in elected office works from a practical perspective. Will someone have to sign for her?
My prediction.
In the next Nunavut elections, all the MLAs will be high school graduates under 20 years of age.
And they will do a better job than the current government of Nunavut.
Perhaps Masako will be our next Premier.
With proper guidance and a good attitude, this young woman can achieve anything. Wishing her success!
Good luck to her, I sure hope the SAO will not just bully her to get what only they think the community needs. Though this happens in most communities no mater the age of the mayor.
I wish her all the best! If she takes this seriously and stands by her convictions and ignores the opportunists in suits she’ll be fine! First item of business, pass a bylaw limiting profit taking on necessities! Clamp down on the northern store and co-op stealing from northern residences!
Hope she sees how some people abuse Alcohol and their families. And deal with the lunatic that causes trouble with 3 cans of beer of a few taste of vodka.
Mark I also wish her good luck. But when you make a unfounded statement. Saying that the Northern and Co-op are stealing. From the residences of the North. With no facts to back it up.
It shows your unelingthend mind. Is working to undermine her potential for success.
Allowing this kind of nonsense to be printed in this forum. Is an example of sensationalistic journalism. All be it acceptable. Considering our locale and readership.
She has all the confidence to try for this position that obviously a lot do not have. So why try and point out how young she is rather than helping her boost up her confidence more in willing to help her community. There are people out there that have nothing much better to do than to try and belittle those who have a strong imagination in making changes.
Good luck Masako and stay brave!
She’s not running the whole town on her own she has peers, council, support, community input. Congrats girl you will be a great role model and you will learn the ropes fast maybe one day if on the right path you will become premier! proud of you.
Congratulations young lady. You are in for a rough ride from the people of Sanikiluaq, it appears from these posts.
Just seek advice from those who KNOW the process and what authority you hold.
The folks will demand things from you that you cannot provide. And when you don’t provide they will eat you up.
You won’t solve all of the problems that exist in Sanikiluaq, just do your best and use common sense.
I wish you all the luck and success in the world. Congratulations.