Yes votes: 255 (138 mail-in & 117 online)
No votes: 187 (79 mail-in & 108 online)
Total ballots cast: 442
Watch the livestream of the ballot count here:
https://youtu.be/5DqO4iiUeq8
Our Ratification Officer’s Final Report was presented to Council on February 16, 2021, with Council accepting the results of the Custom Election Code vote as presented.
Voting Period was December 1, 2020 to January 30, 2021 by mail-in ballot or electronic voting (no in-person polling stations due to COVID-19 pandemic).
Summary of Approved Amendments
- To amend the Nipissing First Nation custom election regulation to allow on and off reserve electors to run in the election as long as they reside within a 100 km radius of the Nipissing First Nation administration building (Sections 4.a) and b) of the code);
- To amend the Nipissing First Nation custom election regulation to allow for voting over the internet, while maintaining existing voting in person, by mail and advanced poll (Sections 7.a), 8.f), 11.a), 13 in its entirety, 15.n),
- To amend the Nipissing First Nation custom election regulation to remove the by-election requirement if more than 8 months remains in a term for a vacant councillor seat and instead to recognize the person running for councillor who finished 8th in the vote in the last election as the replacement councillor until the next regular election. The requirement to have a by-election for the chief position will remain unchanged (Section 8 of the code).
- To amend the Nipissing First Nation custom election regulation to include Anishinaabemwin on key words within the election code in a manner similar to the Nipissing First Nation Gchi-Naaknigewin (References to this amendment throughout the code);
- To amend the Nipissing First Nation custom election regulation to correct spelling and grammatical errors (References to this amendment throughout the code);
- To amend the Nipissing First Nation custom election regulation appeal system to add clarity (References to this amendment throughout the code).
Click here to view the amendments tracked within the Custom Election Regulations document.
Background
The Election Code Review Committee recommended six changes to NFN’s Custom Election Regulations based on the community consultations and survey completed in 2018, as well as discussions within the committee.
A memo summarizing these proposed changes was mailed to all registered NFN members in mid-October, along with a copy of the committee’s report from November 2018 that explained the rationale for each suggested revision.
View the version of Nipissing First Nation Custom Election Regulations with changes tracked by clicking on the link or request a copy by contacting Gen Couchie at [email protected] or call 705-753-2050 ext. 1270.
Information Sessions
An information session was hosted online on October 28th by the Chair of the Election Code Committee, Fred Bellefeuille, to review the changes and answer any questions. Feedback from this session was reported to Council at their November 3rd meeting. A second information session was hosted on November 25th.
Documents
- Report to Council on Zoom Election Code Consultations – November 2020
- Memo to the Membership re: Proposed Changes to the Election Code
- Committee Report: Custom Election Regulations Review – November 2018
- Report to the Community: Survey Results – February 2018
- Nipissing First Nation Custom Election Regulations – current version
- Nipissing First Nation Custom Election Regulations – changes tracked to show proposed amendments
