Preliminary results are in for N.W.T. municipal elections

The polls are closed and now thepreliminary results are infor municipal elections around the Northwest Territories.

Elections were held in Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Hay River, Norman Wells, and Inuvik.

Unofficial results show the town of Fort Smith has a new mayorincumbent Jane Hobart lost to Brad Brake by 80 votes. Brake, who works as a corrections officer in the town,had challenged Hobart for the job in the last municipal election.

Brake said the results show people in Fort Smith were ready for a change after the municipal strike.

"I really want to move forward from everything that happened this summer and I want to change some of the perceptions of the Fort Smith area," he said.

Hobart saidthe perceptions of the town strike must have worked against her.

"Considering theresponse I was getting door-to-door, I am surprised," she said. "But congratulations to Mr. Brake and good luck to the new council."

Fort Simpson mayor Sean Whelly was acclaimed.

Andrew Cassidy elected mayor in Hay River

Preliminary results in the Town ofHay River show that Andrew Cassidy has won with 669 votes. He had a six per cent lead over 575 for Brian Lefebvre.

Cassidy said he's looking forward to sitting down with the new council.

"My biggest thing is I want councilto be a good functioning strong council that's setting our community off in a really good direction and from the names that I've heard, I think it will be a fairly easy task," he said.

Cassidy said Lefebvre called him to congratulate him on his win.

Lefebvre said he will continue to air his concerns about the transparency and accountability of council spending.

Hay River councillors elected were:

• Roger Candow
• Jason Coakwell
• Keith Dohey
• Kandis Jameson
• Donna Lee Jungkind
• Michael Maher
• Bradley Mapes
• Vince McKay

Former premier wins in Inuvik

Former N.W.T. Premier Floyd Roland won the mayoral race in his hometown of Inuvik.

Roland won by a wide margin, with 527 votes to challenger Todd Shattler's 145.

Roland said both his former job as premier and his new job have their own challenges. He said he and the new council will have to handle many pressing issues in the next few years.

He said the town needs to settle its energy issues, as well as work on the economy, expand the local research base and modernize communications in the region.

Roland said he plans to lobby the territorial and federal government for spending in Inuvik. His priorities include an all-weather road to Tuktoyaktuk and a fibre-optic network to speed up the internet and promote research.

Returning officer Grant Hood said votes to elect Inuvik's eight town councillors will be recounted Tuesday morning, as fewer than four votes separate eighth from ninth place in the unofficial results. The recount is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to take three to four hours.

Upset in Norman Wells

It was a close race for the mayor's job in Norman Wells. The town chose newcomer Gregor Harold McGregor over its former mayor, Dudley Johnson.

McGregor received 177 votesjust 47 more than Johnson.

The two candidates ran a heated campaign, with the town's energy issues at the forefront.

Heyckwins Yellowknife mayoral race

In Yellowknife, Tim Doyle conceded the mayoral race shortly before 10 p.m.

Deputy Mayor Mark Heyck took an early lead and held it. Heended up with 2,008 votes.Doyle got 1,465, and former city councillor Paul Falvo had816 votes.

Heyck said he's happy with the early results.

"I couldnt be more proud of my campaign team and Im really looking forward to my next three years working with council and the community."

Many new faces were elected to the city's council.