Vote refused by over half beneficiaries in Kivilliq
A returning officer says voter turnout for the Kivalliq Inuit Association by-election was the lowest she has ever seen for the regional election after less than half of eligible voters filled out ballots.
Tungala Sandy won the presidency with 494 votes, about 200 more than each of the other three candidates on Monday.
Margaret Kusugak says she's been helping run elections since the early
1980s.
"That's the first time I've seen them that low," she says. "I guess people aren't used to voting this time of year. Most elections are held in December.Not everyone is blaming the time of year for the low turnout. Joachim Ayaruak was one of the no-shows at the polling station and says this time he felt he couldn't make an educated decision.
"I only heard one campaigner on the local radio and it was pretty hard to judge the other people," he says.
The new president of KIA says he's already moved into the president's office, but admits the poor turnout is disappointing.
He says more voters wouldn't have necessarily changed the outcome of the election.