Roberta Joseph re-elected chief of Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
This is Joseph's 3rd term as chief; she was first elected in 2014
Roberta Joseph has been re-elected as chief of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation, according to unofficial byelection results.
Citizens took to the polls on Thursday to elect a chief, two months after the election was originally scheduled. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Yukon First Nation to postpone the vote in June.
Four people were running — incumbent Joseph, Majida Lord, Ryan Peterson, and Babe Titus.
According to the unofficial results posted on the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in government Facebook page, Joseph received 144 votes; Lord received 57; Peterson received 47 votes; and Titus received 28.
In June, three councillors — Ryan Peterson, Clara Van Bibber, and Darren Bullen — won their seats by acclamation, and Simon Nagano was acclaimed as deputy chief. All were sworn in for a three-year term.
Joseph was elected chief of the First Nation in 2014, so this will be her third term.
In an interview before the byelection, she told CBC that citizens had asked her to run again.
Joseph said she wanted to focus on a long-term capital and infrastructure plan, education, and on how federal government funding flows to First Nations.
The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in are based in Dawson City, with about 1,100 citizens, according to its website.