Members of the McLeod Lake Indian Band will cast their ballots to elect a chief and council on Friday.
In a notice issued on May 26, McLeod Lake chief electoral officer Lawrence Lewis urged band members to vote electronically, rather than physically go to the polling stations, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewis is the founder of OneFeather, a Victoria-based company that provides election management services to a number of B.C. First Nations.
"OneFeather has adopted rigorous protocols during these difficult times to reduce the risk of person-to-person contact," Lewis wrote. "We've aligned with Indigenous Services Canada and provincial and federal government guidelines – and we've stepped them up a notch."
McLeod Lake members who do attend a polling station at the band office in Prince George or the administrative office in McLeod Lake will see substantial safety measures in place, Lewis wrote.
All electoral officers and voters will be required to wear a mask. Voters will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire before entering the polling station, and anyone showing symptoms linked to COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter the polling station.
Everyone entering the polling station will be required to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. Polling booths and work stations will be disinfected a minimum of every 30 minutes.
The number of voters at each polling station will be limited, polling stations will be spread out, and spots will be marked for people to wait to ensure voters stay two metres apart.
Voters will not be allowed to share pens or pencils – each person will be required to bring their own, or take home the one they use.
"(The) elderly and those who are high risk are advised not to attend the poll station – instead they are encouraged to vote from home," Lewis wrote.
Only three band members will be allowed to assist with the vote count on Friday night, two to witness the count and one to live-stream the results. The count will be close to the public and members are encouraged not to gather to hear the results.
Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday. Band members can vote electronically until 8 p.m. on Friday by going online to www.onefeather.ca/nations/mcleodlake/elections/2020generalelection.
CANDIDATES LIST
Members of the McLeod Lake Indian Band will elect one chief, one elder councillor, one youth councillor, two on-reserve councillors, two off-reserve councillors and six trustees for the McLeod Lake Treaty 8 Trust for a three-year term. Members of the band's land management committee were appointed by acclimation.
For each category, the candidates are listed alphabetically by last name. The incumbents, if they are running, are listed with an asterisk (*).
CHIEF
• Trevor Aubichon
• Harley Chingee*
ELDER COUNCILLOR
• Georgina Chingee
• Margie Chingee
• Albert Isadore*
• Zepheria (Sophie) Isadore
• Doris Jackson
• Rose Geraldine Solonas
YOUTH COUNCILLOR
• Jayde Duranleau*
• Samantha Titian-Prince
ON-RESERVE COUNCILLORS (2)
• Jean (John) Dumont
• Sundance Inyallie
• Deborah Prince
• Elizabeth Solonas*
• Jenine Solonas
• Richard Solonas
• Anita Vallee
OFF-RESERVE COUNCILLORS (2)
• Joseph Alderliesten*
• Vincent Chingee
• Cheyenne Inyallie
• Fred Inyallie
• Minnie Isadore
• Fay Masear*
• Nathan Prince
• Yasmin Prince
• Brian Rivard Sr.
• Sonya Solonas
• Tania Solonas
• Tina Van Der Ree
TREATY 8 TRUSTEES (6)
• Cheryl Belsham
• Edward Belsham
• Eureka Carty*
• Courtney Cassidy
• April Dionne
• Rod Inglis
• Maureen Isadore
• Linda Inyallie*
• Micheal Broken Arrow Inyallie
• Tomahawk (Tom) Inyallie
• Marion Jackson*
• Richard Jackson
• Destiny Kelto
• Daphne Nicholson*
• Lucy Martin
• Douglas Prince
• Kim Sebaastian
• Jolene Solonas
• Kennth Solonas
• Kandy Stout
• Bonnie Tibbets
• Alyssa Tylee
• Jodie Ware*
