WHITEFISH RIVER FIRST NATION—Incumbent Chief Shining Turtle (Franklin Paibomsai) was returned to office with a convincing plurality in the first band election under the new Whitefish River First Nation custom election code, garnering 181 votes, with 20 coming from mail-in ballots, 72 being cast electronically and 89 in person at the Whitefish River First Nation Community Centre.
“We are extremely proud to have community support for our four-year term for chief and council,” said Ogimaa Shining Turtle. “This new term allows for a sustained and measured effort to achieve the goals and objectives for our community. We will show sustained progress over this term. We are very pleased to have provided the electronic voting to our members. We had 138 citizens use the online voting and this is just the beginning of a new era of voting for our citizens. I feel that with the technological advancements that there will be much more availability to electronic voting coming for us. This is good news for sure.” This will be Ogimaa Shining Turtle’s ninth term as chief, having first been elected to the post in 2002.
As for his re-election as chief and his views on the next four years, Ogimaa Shining Turtle said, “I am extremely humbled by this opportunity to keep moving our community forward. What is the next four years going to look like? Four years of opportunity!”
Joining Ogimaa Shining Turtle around the council table are seven councillors: Esther Osche with 189 votes, Dave Shawanda with 168 votes, Cara (Caralyn) McGregor with 151 votes, Leona Nahwegahbow with 141 votes, Todd McGregor with 131 votes, Brian McGregor with 130 votes and Francis Eugene McGregor with 126 votes.
The new chief and council will serve for the next four years as the terms for council were increased under the custom election code from the former two year terms.
Results for the other candidates for chief were: Carianne L. Agawa, 27 votes: 11 by mail-in, eight by electronic ballot and eight in-person; Rose Jacko, 124 votes: six by mail-in, 44 by electronic vote and 74 in-person; Donald McGregor, 91 votes: 11 by mail-in, 21 by electronic vote and 59 in person. There were two spoiled ballots among those for chief.
Results for the other candidates for council were: Anastasia (Stacey) Cywink with 86 votes, Nicholas Francis with 14 votes, Candice (Assiniwe) Jacko with 77 votes, Gail Marie Jacko with 91 votes, Sandy Jacko with 94 votes, Anita Ruth McGregor with 117 votes, Leslie Florence McGregor with 86 votes, Lynn Marie McGregor with 71 votes, Murray McGregor Jr. with 100 votes, Valarie McGregor with 62 votes, Beverly Nahwegahbow with 112 votes, Gail (Kiki) McGregor with 92 votes, L. (Bird) Pitawanakwat with 83 votes, John Recollet with 103 votes, Jacinta Maria Shawanda with 37 votes, Mark Hilary Shawanda with 124 votes, Martha (Marti) Shawanda with 60 votes, Marilyn Stevens with 105 votes and Murray Still with 92 votes.
There were three spoiled ballots for councillor, two in-person votes and one mail-in ballot.
There were 425 ballots cast in the band election, 232 in person, 48 by mail-in ballot and 145 ballots were cast by electronic vote. That represents a turnout of 59 percent of the band membership.
