Nomination for positions on the band council will open on Monday, July 3, 2006 and close on Friday, July 14, 2006.
Nominations are for the following positions for three years:
Candidates must be on the band list of the Benoit First Nation and be at least 18 years of age and must meet the criteria as laid out in our draft constitution election rules. Candidates must be full time residents of the island of Newfoundland.
Nomination forms are available online here, from the band office or by contacting the Chief and/or Band Council.
An election for each position on the band council, if necessary, will take place at the annual assembly tentatively scheduled for August 20, 2006.
However, for each position where only one candidate is nominated, no election will be required for that position and the candidate will be declared duly elected by acclamation.
Where two or more candidates are running for any of the seven positions, an election by secret ballot will be held at the annual assembly and be held according to existing election practices of other first nation communities as laid out in our draft constitution.
All completed nomination papers should be mailed or hand delivered to the electoral officer or Election Committee. The address for mailing is: BFN Band Council Nominations, 805 Oceanview Drive, De Grau, NL. A0N 1T1.
All nominations received by 5:30 pm on Friday, July 14, 2006 will be opened by the electoral officer or elections committee. The names and positions of each candidate nominated will be publicly posted for all band members to see until the annual assembly.
All candidates elected, either by election or by acclamation will be required to be sworn in at the Annual assembly at a swearing-in ceremony.
In the absense of an electoral officer an election committee is to be made up of at least three band members at least 18 years of age and where possible should include an elder, woman, and youth. Persons nominated for a position on council cannot sit on the election committee.
Note: Any vacancies that occur on council within the three year period will be filled by a bi-election for the remaining term. If, after one attempt to fill the position by bi-election, no candidates are elected, the election committee will appoint someone to fill the position for the remaining term of office.
Copyright © 2006 Benoit First Nation