List of Nunavut general elections explained

The Canadian territory of Nunavut holds general elections to its unicameral legislative body, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. Nunavut was created 1 April 1999 from part of the Northwest Territories, and its first election was held prior to division on 15 February 1999. Since the adoption of a fixed election date law in 2014,[1] general elections in Nunavut are held on the last Monday of October in the fourth calendar year following the last elections.[2]

Nunavut is divided into nineteen constituencies, each electing one Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). The number of constituencies has remained unchanged since the first general election. Nunavut uses consensus government in which there are no political parties. The Premier of Nunavut (and the cabinet) is directly elected by the MLAs, unlike most other provincial or territorial premiers, who are officially appointed by a Lieutenant-Governor or Commissioner on account of their leadership of a majority bloc in the legislature.[3] [4]

In the electoral district of Akulliq, the 2008 election was delayed because of a legal battle that was brought forth by the former Member of Parliament Jack Anawak. Anawak filed as a candidate in the 2008 election but his application was rejected by Elections Nunavut because he had not lived in the territory for twelve consecutive months prior to the election.[5] [6] After Anawak's case was dismissed by the courts, a by-election was held on December 15, 2008.[5] During the 2008 election, only two votes separated incumbent MLA Steve Mapsalak and his main challenger, former Northwest Territories MLA John Ningark.[7] As a result, a judicial recount was conducted, however this resulted in Ningark and Mapsalak each receiving exactly 157 votes, meaning that the election resulted in a tie. A second election took place three months later on March 2, 2009.[8] [9] During the second election, John Ningark beat out his opponent Steve Mapsalak 193 votes to 179.[10] The 2008 election was also unusual in that one electoral district, South Baffin, saw no candidates nominated in time for the general election. A by-election was scheduled for 3 November 2008, with four candidates.[11]

No people have remained in office through the five general elections that have taken place in Nunavut.

Summary of results

The table below shows the winners of every riding for each election. Full details on any election are linked via the year of the election at the top of the column.

1999–2013

District1999 election[12] 2004 election[13] 2008 election[14]
AkulliqOvide AlakannuarkSteve MapsalakJohn Ningark
AmittuqEnoki IrqittuqLouis Tapardjuk
ArviatKevin O'BrienDavid AlagalakDaniel Shewchuk
Baker LakeGlenn McLeanDavid SimailakMoses Aupaluktuq
Cambridge BayKelvin NgKeith Peterson
Hudson BayPeter KattukAllan Rumbolt
Iqaluit CentreHunter Tootoo
Iqaluit EastEd PiccoEva Aariak
Iqaluit WestPaul Okalik
KugluktukDonald HavioyakJoe Allen EvyagotailakPeter Taptuna
NanulikJames ArvalukPatterk NetserJohnny Ningeongan
NattilikUriash PuqiqnakLeona AglukkaqEnuk Pauloosie
PangnirtungPeter KilabukAdamee Komoartok
QuttiktuqLevi BarnabasRon Elliott
Rankin Inlet NorthJack AnawakTagak Curley
Rankin Inlet South/Whale CoveManitok ThompsonLevinia BrownLorne Kusugak
South BaffinOlayuk AkesukFred Schell
TununiqJobie NutarakJames Arvaluk
UqqummiutDavid IqaqrialuJames Arreak

2013–present

District 2013 election[15] 2017 election[16] 2021 election
AgguPaul QuassaJoanna Quassa
AivilikSteve MapsalakPatterk NetserSolomon Malliki
AmittuqGeorge QulautJoelie Kaernerk
Arviat North-Whale CoveGeorge KuksukJohn Main
Arviat SouthJoe Savikataaq
Baker LakeSimeon MikkungwakCraig Simailak
Cambridge BayKeith PetersonJeannie EhaloakPamela Gross
Gjoa HavenTony Akoak
Hudson BayAllan RumboltDaniel Qavvik
Iqaluit-ManirajakMonica Ell-KanayukAdam Lightstone
Iqaluit-NiaqunnguuPat AngnakakP.J. Akeeagok
Iqaluit-SinaaPaul OkalikElisapee SheutiapikJanet Brewster
Iqaluit-TasilukGeorge Hickes
KugluktukPeter TaptunaMila Adjukak KamingoakBobby Anavilok
NetsilikJeannie UgyukEmiliano QirngnuqInagayuk Quqqiaq
PangnirtungJohnny MikeMargaret Nakashuk
QuttiktuqIsaac ShooyookDavid Akeeagok
Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield InletTom SammurtokCathy TowtongieAlexander Sammurtok
Rankin Inlet SouthAlexander SammurtokLorne Kusugak
South BaffinDavid Joanasie
TununiqJoe EnookKaren Nutarak
UqqummiutSamuel NuqingaqPauloosie KeyootakMary Killiktee

Notes

James Arvaluk resigned his seat in June 2003 after being convicted of assault.[17] He was succeeded in a by-election later that year by Patterk Netser, who retained the seat in the 2004 election.[18]

Levi Barnabas resigned his seat in August 2000 after being convicted of assault. He was succeeded in a by-election in December 2000 by Rebekah Williams, who lost the seat in the 2004 election to Barnabas.[19]

Jobie Nutarak died on 23 April 2006.[20] The resulting by-election was held on 16 October 2006 and won by James Arvaluk.[21]

On 20 August 2008, Evyagotailak stepped down as the MLA. He stated that he wanted to run for the presidency of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association. A by-election was not held.[22] [23]

On 10 September 2008, Aglukkaq stepped down to run in the 2008 Canadian federal election for the Conservative Party of Canada. A by-election was not held.[24]

On 22 February 2010, Pauloosie stepped down as the MLA. Although in his resignation letter he did not give a reason, in a subsequent interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation he said that it was "for personal reasons, in part so he could spend more time with his family." A by-election was held 26 April 2010, with Jeannie Ugyuk winning the seat.[25] [26] [27]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674nunavut_mlas_opt_for_fixed_election_dates_code_of_conduct/ "Nunavut MLAs opt for fixed election dates, code of conduct"
  2. Web site: Nunavut Elections Act . Elections Nunavut . September 18, 2020.
  3. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions. https://archive.today/20100201154530/http://www.assembly.nu.ca/english/about/FAQ.htm. dead. 1 February 2010. Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. 28 October 2008.
  4. Web site: The role of the Commissioner of Nunavut. Commissioner of Nunavut. 30 May 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110706191352/http://www.commissioner.gov.nu.ca/english/commissioner/role_commiss.html. 6 July 2011.
  5. News: Anawak appeal nixes Akulliq election race. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News. 7 October 2008. 13 October 2008.
  6. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nunavutvotes/story/2008/10/27/kivalliq-elex.html Incumbents shut out of Kivalliq region
  7. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2008/12/16/akulliq.html "Recount underway after close Akulliq byelection"
  8. News: Akulliq by-election recount leads to tie. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News. 8 January 2009. 11 June 2010.
  9. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/01/08/akulliq-tie.html "Akulliq by-election recount leads to tie"
  10. Web site: March 2, 2009 election results . 2009-03-13 . Elections Nunavut . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090920023505/http://www.elections.nu.ca/i18n/docs/releases/020309-akulliq.pdf?ID=27 . September 20, 2009 .
  11. Web site: News release. 3 October 2008. 13 October 2008. Elections Nunavut. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081029201813/http://www.elections.nu.ca/apps/UPLOADS/files/633586669177656250-1679155967-sb_1003_eng.pdf. 29 October 2008.
  12. Web site: Thursday, April 1, 1999 . Legislative of Nunavut Hansard . 28 October 2008 .
  13. Web site: Nunavut Votes 2004. CBC. 28 October 2008.
  14. Web site: Nunavut Votes 2008. CBC. 28 October 2008.
  15. Web site: 2013 Nunavut Election. Canadian Elections Database. 16 July 2021.
  16. Web site: Nunavut Votes 2017. CBC. 16 July 2021.
  17. News: 27 June 2003. Nanulik by-election could be held Sept. 2. Nunatsiaq News. 28 October 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080512231258/http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/30627/news/nunavut/30627_01.html. 12 May 2008. dead. dmy-all.
  18. Web site: Constituency Profiles: Nanulik. Nunavut Votes. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . 27 October 2008.
  19. Web site: Constituency Profiles: Quttiktuq. Nunavut Votes. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 October 2008.
  20. News: 24 April 2008. Nunavut Speaker dies on snowmobile hunting trip. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News. 28 October 2008.
  21. Web site: Constituency Profiles: Tunnuniq. Nunavut Votes. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 October 2008.
  22. Web site: MLA for Kugluktuk resigns from the Legislative Assembly . Legislative Assembly of Nunavut . 28 October 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081029201800/http://www.assembly.nu.ca/english/news/2008/080822_eng.pdf . October 29, 2008 .
  23. News: 22 August 2008. Nunavut MLA Evyagotailak resigns to seek KIA leadership. CBC News. 28 October 2008.
  24. News: 10 September 2008. Nunavut health minister Aglukkaq running for Tories. CBC News. 28 October 2008.
  25. News: 22 February 2010. Enuk Pauloosie quits Nunavut assembly seat. Nunatsiaq Online. 30 May 2010.
  26. News: Pauloosie resigns as Nunavut MLA. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News. 22 February 2010. 30 May 2010.
  27. News: Second woman joins Nunavut legislature. Nunatsiaq Online. 27 April 2010 . 30 May 2010.