West Dawson voters, cut off by freeze-up, get own polling station for Yukon election
Ballots flown in by helicopter for 90 eligible voters isolated by river not frozen enough for ice bridge
Residents in West Dawson may be cut off from the rest of Dawson City and the rest of the territory for that matter but they'll still be able to vote in the Yukon election today.
The ferry stopped going to West Dawson in mid-October, so for now there's no crossing the Yukon River until freeze-up is over and an ice bridge opens.
About 90 voters live in West Dawson and for the first time, they have their own polling station.
It's in deputy returning officer GabbySgaga's garage, and like the rest of the buildings in West Dawson, her garage is off grid. But voters and poll staff will be able to stay warm, she said.
"I actually have a barrel stove in my garage so we'll get a fire going and keep it going all day."
The ballots were flown across the river by helicopter.
Sebastian Jones lives nearby and is happy it will take only fiveminutes to walk over and vote.
"I'm sure it's going to make a difference to the turnout," he said.
About 23,000 people are on Yukon'slist of electors. Across the territory, turnout at the advancepolls broke records withmore than 5,000 votes already cast.
For everyone else, including West Dawson, polls are open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. PT.
with files from Cheryl Kawaja
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