Jerry Primrose, who held the position of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) chief from 1994 until being defeated by Jim Moore in the hotly-contested 2006 NCN election, was returned to office as a result of the Aug. 24 NCN election.

According to the unofficial results, Primrose was elected with 800 votes out of a total of 1,555 – at 51.4 per cent, more than half of all total votes cast. Moore finished in a distant second place with 362 votes, or 23.3 per cent. Third place went to William Elvis Thomas, with 264 votes or 17 per cent, and 129 votes, 8.3 per cent, saw Phyllis Hart finish fourth.

On the NCN band council, it was much the same story, as five of six current councillors were re-elected to serve another four-year term. Marcel Moody – who led all candidates with 719 votes – Pat Linklater, Ron D. Spence, D’Arcy N. Linklater Sr., and Shirley Linklater were all returned to council. Agnes Melinda Spence narrowly missed out for the first time since being elected in 1998, as her 351 votes placed her seventh, just behind first-time councillor Joe Moose, who received 373 votes.

Among returning councillors, D’Arcy Linklater has the longest consecutive tenure, as he has been on council since 1994. Moody served on council from 1990 to 1996, and was returned to office in 2006. Pat Linklater was also re-elected in 2006 after a long absence, as he had previously been on council from 1992 through 1998. Shirley Linklater has been on council since 2002, and this will be the second term for Spence, who was first elected in 2006. A record 34 candidates ran for council.

Between the Aug. 24 election and an Aug. 17 advance poll, 1,555 ballots were cast – a total turnout of 59.1 per cent of eligible and registered NCN voters. The Nelson House polling station saw the majority of the voting, with 1,128 voters turning out there, along with 191 votes cast in Winnipeg, 190 in Thompson, and 41 in Leaf Rapids.