Elvis Aaron Presley has been declared the winner of the October 10 territorial election in Pelly-Nisutlin by an Elections Yukon returning officer.
No, hold on, Liberal candidate Hammond Dick is the winner.
No, wait a minute … the real winner is New Democratic Party candidate Gwen Wally.
Sorry, scrub that. The actual winner is Yukon Party candidate Marian Horne.
Yeah, Elections Yukon officials are sure. They confirmed it Monday.
Nevertheless, all four candidates were mailed an official form stating — incorrectly in three of four cases, at least — that they received the most votes lawfully cast and were, therefore, elected to the Yukon legislature.
The four claim forms were signed by Pelly-Nisutlin returning officer Phyllis Forbes.
Forbes — who recently was unseated as Faro mayor by challenger Michelle Vainio — refused to explain the error in an interview Friday.
“I can’t comment on that,” she said.
Elections Yukon is aware that Presley wrongfully received a letter from Forbes declaring him the winner, but it had little to say about the matter on Friday.
The documents are real and not fakes, said Jo-Ann Waugh, the Yukon’s assistant chief electoral officer.
“That is not a forged document,” said Waugh, discussing the form Presley received.
“At the end of an election, a returning officer declares a candidate with the most votes. She (Forbes) I believe has made an error, but I have not been able to contact her.
“This is not a big news story,” added Waugh.
But Presley said otherwise.
After receiving the document in the mail Friday, he immediately called the media.
“I heard from the news that I didn’t win, but now, from Elections Yukon, I’ve got a letter specifically saying that I did win,” said an excited Presley on Friday.
“I would ask for a recount — just to seriously affirm that there is no hanky-panky with the votes and everything is legit,” he said.
“It’s up to them to confirm, one way or the other. Is it an error or is it not an error?”
According to official Elections Yukon results for October 10, Presley placed fourth in Pelly-Nisutlin, taking 40 votes.
Horne won the district’s seat with 241 votes, beating the second- and third-placed Wally and Dick by almost 100 votes.
But all four received a signed and delivered copy of Elections Yukon form #43 from Forbes.
Presley faxed his copy to The News.
The form begins by stating, “I, returning officer … do hereby certify that the member duly elected for the said electoral district … as having received the largest number of ballots lawfully cast, is ….”
The document bears Presley’s name and address, neatly written, and is signed by Forbes.
The letter is dated October 16, six days after the election.
Though Presley doesn’t believe he won the election, he isn’t so sure he lost it, either.
“I’m hoping and praying there isn’t anything un-kosher going on with the election here,” he said.
Presley has been barred from filing lawsuits in the Yukon by the courts, but is still considering what action to take after receiving the letter, he said.
In the meantime, Elections Yukon should at least do a recount of the Pelly-Nisutlin results to put all four candidates’ minds at ease, he added.
Marian Horne was contacted for an interview, but didn’t return phone calls.
Several officials with Yukon political parties also were contacted, but all refused to comment on the situation.
Linklater to run again for chief of Vuntut Gwitchin
Joe Linklater will seek a fourth term as chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in elections called for November 20.
“I take great pride in the accomplishments of our VG leadership since 1998,” said Linklater, in a release from the First Nation office.
As well as electing a chief, the November election will fill four councillor positions for the First Nation.
Nomination papers for chief and council positions have just been released and the deadline for submitting them is October 30, said Dorothy Frost, executive director of the First Nation.
At the moment, Linklater is the only candidate known to be running.
He has been chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin since 1998.
The post for chief following next month’s elections will span four years, said Linklater in the release.
Linklater hopes to continue work making the Vuntut Gwitchin government more accountable, finalizing a financial transfer agreement with Ottawa, and building education and investment programs, he said in the release.
(TQ)