Nunavut election brings new faces to government amid disappointing voter turnout
CBC
Fewer than half of the 14,000 eligible Nunavut voters turned out Monday to elect new members of their legislative assembly, the sixth since the creation of the territory in 1999.
Unofficial numbers showed turnout at 49.91 per cent territory-wide, down from 63.3 per cent in 2017, but higher than the 34 per cent in the latest federal election.
The low turnout was what grabbed the attention of former Nunavut government ministers and MLAs Ed Picco and Elisapee Sheutiapik as they watched the election results at the Grind and Brew restaurant in Iqaluit.
"Shocking" is how Sheutiapik described the low turnout.
"Maybe it was due to COVID-19," suggested Picco.
When Picco first ran for a seat in the Nunavut assembly in 1999, the overall voter turnout in the new territory's general election reached 88.6 per cent.
"This election I found to be very competitive with lots of signage and candidates hosting events and going door-to-door," Picco said.
But countering apathy among voters will be a major challenge for the next government, the two veteran elected officials agreed.
WATCH | A look at the key issues in the Nunavut election:
Back in 1999, the Nunavut legislative assembly had not yet been built.
As well, there were more dreams for the new territory than harsh realities, like the persistent housing crisis and Iqaluit's contaminated water system, which dominated political discussion in the run-up to the vote.
The 1999 election was different in other ways, Picco recalled. It took place during the frigid month of February.
On Monday, the weather remained unseasonably warm in many Nunavut communities. There was only a sprinkling of snow around Iqaluit as voters cast votes in four polling stations.
But the turnout was lacklustre.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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