N.W.T. votes 2015 | Yellowknifers opt for change

Yellowknifers were in the mood for change Monday, judging from election results that will see five new faces heading to the next legislative assembly, and an end of the road for one cabinet minister and two regular MLAs.

"It was a really hardcampaign," said Julie Green, who won in Yellowknife Centre, forcing two-time incumbent Robert Hawkins to concede the race.

• Michael Miltenberger, Jane Groenewegen out; Michael Nadli re-elected in Deh Cho

"He's known to be a very aggressive campaigner," Green said."In the end, people want change and that's what I felt they got."

Green said she's ready to focus on one of her campaign promises: housing first.

"I really feel that putting people into their own homes is the best idea for them and the best idea for downtown revitalization."

In the end the win was decisive, with Green taking 396 of the votes over Hawkins' 283.

In a concession note on Facebook,Hawkins appeared to take the win gracefully.

"Well folks it looks like things went a different way," he wrote. "May I wish all candidates, including Ms. Green, well going forward."

'It's shocking,' Dave Ramsay says of defeat

Early in the evening, former cabinet minister Dave Ramsay conceded to 30-year-old KieronTestart in Kam Lake.

"Tonight is shocking and I don't know how else to put it," Ramsay told CBC.

"It's shocking like I am in a bad dream. The dream is reality and people have spoken and I respect their decision."

He says as a regular member,he was known as "a thorn in the government side."

"For the past fouryears I have been asking those hard questions at a different table. I think maybe that hurt me. I wasn't the advocate, the vocal guy the people grew to love. Being a cabinet minister is a different kettle of fish. Ultimately it cost me tonight."

Testartwas in the lead all night, taking 276 votes toRamsay's202 by the time eight out of 10 polls reported.

"It has been a wonderful night of positive change,"Testartsaid in CBC North's liveblog.

"I wasKieronone day," Ramsay said. "Ayoung guy running on a platform of change and enough people bought into it and good on him. I wish himall the best."

In Range Lake,Caroline Cochrane-Johnson, CEO for the Centre for Northern Families, beat incumbent Daryl Dolynny by just 10 votes.

"Thank you to everyone for the support," Cochrane-Johnson wrote on Facebook. "I promise I will do my best to represent the people in my neighbourhood I am looking forward to working hard!"

But the winwill trigger an automatic recount, according to N.W.T. election rules, which state that a recount is called if a candidate wins with less than two per cent of votes cast.

Frame Lake

Kevin O'Reilly, a well-known environmentalist, won narrowly in Frame Lake.

By the end of the night, he had 156 votes, followed by Jan Fullerton's 141.David Wasylciw came in third place with 132 followed by Roy Erasmus with 117.

It was another tight race inYellowknife North, where Cory Vanthuynetook a narrow win with 392 votes to Dan Wong's 376.

BenNindcamein third place with 189 withEdwinCastilloand SeanErasmustrailing.

Change, however, did not come to Great Slave or Yellowknife South.

Glen Abernethy won Great Slave by the largest margin of the night with 511 votes to Chris Clarke's 135.

In Yellowknife South, former premier Bob McLeod also won handily, with 485 votes followed byNigit'stil Norbert with 179. Samuel Roland trailed behind with29.

On mobile? View the livebloghere