FORT CHIPEWYAN — Mikisew Cree First Nation members will head to the polls June 20 to elect a chief and six councillors under the Nation’s 1996 Election Regulations.
Advance voting is scheduled for June 13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., while election day voting will take place June 20 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Four candidates are seeking the position of chief: Willis Flett, Melody Rose Lepine, Dan Mercredi and Billy-Joe Tuccaro.
Twenty-six candidates are running for six council seats: Sandra Joan Antoine, Tina Marie Antoine, Kevin James Courtorielle, Lawrence Noel Courtorie125lle, Vina A. Courtorielle, Shirley Dunning (Shortman), Bonnie Mae Fraser (Courtorielle), Dwayne Richard Gladue, Aaron Dean Kaskamin, Jocelyn Mae Marten, Raymond Randy Marten, Ryan Charles Marten, Eddie James McDonald, Sherri Mae McKenzie, Allan Mercredi, Wayne Stewart Poitras, Claudia Carol Simpson, Trista Shott, Paul Tuccaro, Carrie Vermillion (Awesome), Karen Vermillion (Joy), Tommy Arnold Voyageur, Dillon Guy Whitehead, Megan Whiteknife (Antoine), Trishia Lynn Whiteknife and Wayne Horace Wylie.
Polling stations will be available in Fort Chipewyan, Fort McMurray, Edmonton, High Level and Fort Smith.
Fort Chipewyan voters can cast ballots at Mamawi Hall. In Fort McMurray, voting will take place at the Stonebridge Hotel on Hardin Street. Edmonton voters can cast ballots at the Edmonton Inn on Kingsway Avenue. Polling in High Level will be held at the Best Western Plus Mirage Hotel and Resort, while Fort Smith voting will take place at the Salt River First Nation Culture Room.
The election marks the first Mikisew Cree First Nation election since 2023, when voting was postponed because of wildfire evacuations affecting the region.
The election also comes amid an ongoing legal dispute over voting procedures. In a letter to members last month, Mikisew Cree First Nation leadership said a member had filed a Federal Court application seeking online voting and the use of a polling station in Peace Point.
Leadership said proposed amendments allowing online voting were defeated during a special general meeting held in Fort Chipewyan in February 2025 and therefore the Nation must continue to follow its existing election regulations.
The Nation also cited a 2021 Federal Court decision, Waquan v. MCFN, which it says confirmed the replacement of the Peace Point polling station had become an established custom under the election process.
Leadership has said it expects the election to proceed as scheduled on June 20.
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