Nunavut’s upcoming territorial government is set to include a blend of familiar faces and newcomers, as several former MLAs, including the deputy premier, were defeated in Monday’s election. Pamela Gross, the former deputy premier from Cambridge Bay, lost her seat to Fred Pedersen, the executive director of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, who garnered over 50% of the vote. Notably, incumbents Adam Arreak Lightstone in Iqaluit-Manirajak and former regular caucus chair Solomon Malliki in Aivilik also faced defeat.
The voter turnout for the election stood at 37%, as reported by Elections Nunavut. Among the elected candidates on Monday were both familiar and new faces. Some of the familiar faces include Craig Simailak in Baker Lake, John Main in Arviat-North Whale Cove, and David Joanasie in South Baffin. Newcomers elected to office include Hannah Angootealuk in Avilik, Abraham Qammaniq in Ammituq, and Jamie Kablutsiak in Arviat South, among others.
Recounts are expected in at least three ridings due to exceedingly close results, such as in Pangnirtung, Quttiktuq, and Aggu. Polls closed at 7 p.m. across the region’s three time zones, and while Elections Nunavut’s website initially faced technical issues, results eventually started to emerge later in the evening.
Voter turnout has been on a downward trend in Nunavut since the territory’s inception in 1999, with less than half of eligible voters participating in the 2021 election compared to 86% in the inaugural year. Manitok Thompson, one of Nunavut’s original MLAs, expressed concerns about voter apathy stemming from perceived slow progress on critical issues like the high cost of living and housing shortages.
The youth vote is anticipated to be significant, considering that nearly half of Nunavut’s population is under 25 years old. Despite this, the last territorial election saw low youth voter registration. Approximately 17,000 voters are registered for this year’s general election, with candidates running as independents due to Nunavut’s consensus-style government structure. Cabinet members will be selected around two weeks after the election, with newly-elected MLAs participating in the process to choose the Speaker, premier, and ministers through a secret-ballot election.