Akulliq by-election woes

i've been keeping away from blogging as I don't have a "full-time" computer.

I suppose that's why i'm about to cover some old news...

i feel for the riding of Akulliq in Nunavut. They have suffered a pretty long election that just seems to never end.

Meanwhile, Tagak Curley was recently inducted in the Nunavut Government Cabinet. Congrats to him - he finally decided to accept that he will likely never get voted in as Premier and this was probably his last chance in being a top decision-maker.

That means the Akulliq Member will not have a stab at taking on responsibilities in the Executive Council. How's that for democracy! After residents in the Akulliq riding go the polls once gain on March 2 it will be the time to say "bye bye elections!"

SB By-election results

Fred Schell, now the former Mayor of Kinngait has been elected as South Baffin's MLA after 59% of the elegibile voters cast their ballots.

What I find rather odd is that Kimmirummiut chose the out-of-towner over their local candidate.

More coverage here.

Voting day

so tonite will show a new set of MLAs for the GN and all I can say to that is: the Nunavut Elections Act should be one of the first things to be reviewed and amended. My after-thoughts are: would my non-voting ability play at least a significantly minor part? We'll see after tonite.

And what of next week when South Baffin holds its by-election? I don't think many people will notice. The other by-election is what interests me more despite being from SB.

happy voting Nunamiut - I can wait to cast my ballot in 4 years. Maybe then my residency should be cleared up.

update: results can be found here, read coverage on the voter turnout decrease, and a call for gender-parity.

I get all my other "news" through the grapevine aside from CBC North, Nunatsiaq News and News North.

Voting in the Nunavut Elections

So I moved back to Nunavut after 5 and half years 'down south' and was looking forward to take part our 'democracy' this fall as the territorial elections started out soon after the federal writ was issued.

Unfortunately for me, my anticipation to participate in voting (in the territorial elections) was shot down like a duck near outside Cape Dorset in July. Apparently, I must be a resident of Nunavut for at least one year.

It doesn't end there. After pondering it some more, and checking out the Nunavut Elections Act, it appears that I may have a case since I moved to Ottawa for education and employment reasons. So, I could argue that I am only 'temporarily absent' from 'my place of home or dwelling' under the section "Determining Residence." Would you buy that? or do I need so seek a laywer? I do still fully intend to return to my place of home or dwelling.....at one point or another.

Update: apparently, the employment part (of the NEA) is referreing to short-term work (ie. taking on a term position to cover someone's maternity leave who is on a leave of absence). Oh well, I suppose (or hope) I won't have this same trouble 4 years down the road. Happy (non)voting everyone!

Also unrelated but related: the current mayor of Kinngiat has put his hat into the race - now I DEFINATELY hope someone else runs for South Baffin.

Up-update: it seems that I ain't the only one with this problem. It will be interesting to see what happens out of this.