More Yukoners have stepped up to enter legislative politics as the parties finalize candidates and run nomination processes in the territory’s 19 ridings.
Amanda Brown, a current councillor for Liard First Nation and support worker, is seeking nomination as the Liberal candidate for Watson Lake.
The party currently has 11 candidates selected in ridings and nominations ongoing in other jurisdictions.
The Yukon Party currently has eight ridings open for nomination, and four candidates confirmed. Party leader Currie Dixon will run in Copperbelt North; returning MLA Wade Istchenko will run in Kluane; Angela Drainville, current president of both Music Yukon and the Yukon Convention Bureau, will run in Whitehorse West; returning MLA Brad Cathers will run in Lake Laberge; and Ray Sydney, a third-term Kwanlin Dün First Nation councillor and former RCMP officer, will run in Mountainview.
Yvonne Clarke, a long-time public servant and former president of the Canadian-Filipino Society of the Yukon, is seeking the nomination for the party in Porter Creek Centre.
The NDP nomination process is slightly different, with all 19 ridings currently open for nominations. Right now the party has people running to be nominated in seven of those ridings, with more names expected in the coming weeks.
The NDP is still determining who its Mountainview candidate will be. The two women vying for the position are Michelle Friesen, a Yukon First Nation citizen and public servant, and Ashley Cummings, an Inuk mental health advocate and former member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council.
Francis van Kessel (Wat.si) a Teslin Tlingit citizen and an advocate for social inclusion and neurodiversity awareness will run for nomination in Porter Creek North.
Patty Wallingham, a Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation citizen and champion curler, will run for the party nomination in Mayo-Tatchun.
Annie Blake, current Director of Health and Social Programs for the Vuntut Gwitchin government, is seeking the nomination in Vuntut Gwitchin.
There is no date set yet for the next territorial election, but by law, it must be called by the sitting Liberal party before or on November 21, 2021.
Elections Yukon is currently registering voters. In order to vote in the election, you must be a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years of age on polling day, and a resident of the Yukon for 12 months prior to voting day. Registering in advance means a more straightforward
Previous candidates and nominations announcements were covered in the News on Jan. 31.
Contact Haley Ritchie at haley.ritchie@yukon-news.com