Abegweit First Nation to hold election Friday

The first election following a Federal Court of Canada decision that wonvoting rights foroff-reserve membersof Abegweit First Nation will be heldJune 14.

The election will be for a chief and three councillorsin the First Nation, up fromtwo councillors.

The election was announced last Friday,giving oneweek forthe 15 candidates to campaign.

Nine nominees are running for councillorand six are running for chief, according to the First Nation's website.

Originally planned for April

Candidates for chief are required to live on-reserve in order to run, but candidates for councillors can live on- or off-reserve. None of the candidates in the upcoming election is living off-reserve, band officials said.

This election comes after the Federal Court of Canada ruled in Maythat Abegweit's long-standing voting rules denied Charter rights to off-reserve members.

The election was originally planned for April 17, but was postponedafter some band members asked for ajudicial review of the First Nation's custom election code.

The chief's position was left vacant whenBrian Francis was named to the senate last October.

The results of the election will be declared immediately following the count on Friday, according to a notice on the band's website.

There are 374 members of the band which has landsin Scotchfort, Morell and Rocky Point.

More P.E.I. news