Gwich'in Tribal Council election to go ahead this summer

COVID-19 won't hold back the Gwich'in Tribal Council elections that are due this summer, but they will look a little different.

"Four years ago, candidates could travel into the communities, meet, campaign, have public meetings," said Mary Ann Villeneuve, who was appointed chief returning officer Monday. "It's gonna be a little different now."

That's especially, she said, if any candidates come forward from outside the Northwest Territories, which would mean they'd have to self-isolate for two weeks before travelling within the territory.

Villeneuve, who served as the chief returning officer in the 2016 council election, says she expects social media to make up for the potential lack of in-person campaigning.

"I know there are some elders who are not part of that social media group but a majority of the population is familiar with it," she said.

The position of grand chief and deputy chief are both up for election. Each position comes with a four-year term.

Villeneuve was busy setting up her office in Inuvik, N.W.T., on Tuesday and has yet to work out the dates for the election, including the deadline for candidates to put their names forward.

Online voting

Gwich'in members will be able to vote by paper ballots in Fort McPherson, Inuvik, Aklavik and Tsiigehtchic the four N.W.T. communities that are members of the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, signed in 1992.

"We'll make sure that we're following distancing, making sure that everything is clean," said Villeneuve. "People have been going through this transition so they're pretty much aware of what's to be expected."

Gwich'in both within and beyond the Gwich'in Settlement Area will also be able to vote online on election day, or in an advance poll.

CBCNews was unable to reach Grand Chief Bobbi Jo Greenland Morgan to discuss whether she would run again, or deputy chief Jordan Peterson. The other members of the Gwich'in Tribal Council board are appointed by each of the four community councils.

You can follow updates on the GTC Election 2020 Facebook page.