AFN national chief election goes to third ballot

OTTAWA —
The virtual election for national chief of the Assembly of First Nations will head to a third ballot, after two rounds of voting failed to see any of the candidates reach the necessary 60 per cent threshold of support.

The two front-runners for national chief after both rounds of voting, held virtually this afternoon due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are Reginald Bellerose of Saskatchewan and RoseAnne Archibald of Ontario.

Both candidates have been in a virtual dead heat after each of the two rounds.

Now, after the second ballot, Bellerose has just over 32 per cent with just three votes more than Archibald, who received just over 31 per cent of the total 351 votes cast.

Outgoing regional chief Kevin Hart from Manitoba, who received the lowest number of votes, is eliminated from the third round of voting, and he announced he is throwing his support behind Bellerose.

The two other remaining candidates in the race are Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddle and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse from Alberta.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2021.