Haida citizens on the islands as well as in Prince Rupert and Vancouver go to the polls Saturday (Dec. 8) to elect a vice-president and regional representatives. Polls in Old Massett, Skidegate, Rupert and Vancouver will be open from 9 am until 9 pm. People of Haida ancestry over the age of 16 are eligible to vote. There are five candidates running for vice-president: incumbent April Churchill, Ron Brown Jr, Melinda Pick, Trevor Russ and Adeana Young. Nine candidates are running for the four positions as Old Massett regional representatives: Robert Bennett, Kiefer Collison, Vincent Collison, Robert (Pedro) Davis, Donnie Edenshaw, Lawrence Jones, Brandon Kallio, Cynthia Samuels and John Yeltatzie. Six candidates are running for the four Skidegate regional positions: Jason Alsop, William Shawn Cowpar, Perby Crosby, Guujaaw Giindajing, Juanita (Irene) Mills and Randy Pryce (Tennant). There are two seats each for representatives from Prince Rupert and Vancouver. Candidates for the Rupert positions are Pansy Collison, Jennifer Davidson, Charlene Fast, David Parnell, Frank Parnell and Bill White. For the Vancouver positions: Allan P. Davidson, Shawn Edenshaw, Clifford Fregin, Sandra Greene, James Savino and Harold Williams. Peter Lantin will be acclaimed as the new president of the Council of the Haida Nation, as the only other candidate, Robert Mills, withdrew from the race last month.
