WABASCA – Members of the Bigstone Cree Nation will have no shortage of options when they cast their vote for the newest councillor on Aug. 9, after five candidates put their names forward for the open seat.
Darrell Anderson, Kevin C. Bigstone, Ralph Romeo Cardinal, Jason Noskiye and Derek Thunder were confirmed as the five candidates on July 25 and will be running for the empty Wabasca/Desmarais council seat. The position has been vacant since June 10, when former Coun. Samantha Greyeyes was removed from her seat.
Online voting opened July 29 and will run until Aug. 9, when the in-person vote will take place. Band members can vote online at www.onefeather.ca/nations/bigstone. Voting requires a Band Registry Number, date of birth, and a personal email address.
In-person voting opens at 9 a.m on Aug. 9, and eligible voters have six different locations available to them. Polls will be open at the OPK Bigstone Community School in Wabasca, the Continental Inn and Suites in Edmonton, the community halls in Chipewyan Lake and Calling Lake, the Native Friendship Centre in Slave Lake, and in Fort St. John, B.C., voting will be done at the Treaty 8 office.
The winning candidate will join Chief Andy Alook, and councillors Lawrence Oar, Peter Young, Denise Rathbone, Dwayne Yellowknee, Freda Alook-Gambler, Loretta Gladue, Gloria Anderson, Eva Yellowknee, and Elvis Oar for the remainder of the council term, which runs until 2026.
