Charlie Eikland Jr. has been elected the new chief of the White River First Nation using the preferential election method. Ballots were counted Friday.

Eikland was among the principals in a group of First Nation members who forced a change in election procedures through a referendum midway through last year.

The referendum resulted in removing voting rights for non-status members living in Alaska, as well as opening up the procedures to allow for mail-in ballots.

Previously, voters had to be physically present at the First Nation's annual general assembly in Beaver Creek to cast ballots.

Also elected Friday were Michael Nieman and Dwayne Broeren as the two Northern Tutchone councillors, with Stanley Jack chosen as the alternate in a close third place.

Patrick Johnny and Gordon John were elected as the Upper Tanana candidates, with Charles Eikland Sr. running in third for the alternate position.

White River Chief David Johnny did not seek re-election.

On the first count of the ballots, Eikland Jr. was a hair shy of the 51 per cent majority required to secure the chief's position, having received 41 votes of the 82 cast, compared to 20 for Roland Peters, 11 for Duncan Stephen and 10 for Angela Demit.

Electoral officer Tim Cant explained this morning that under the preferential system, voters are asked to indicate their preference for each of the four candidates, with a one for their first choice, two for their second choice, etc.

When Eikland Jr. did not receive 51 per cent on the first count, the fourth-place Demit was eliminated from the race and the number two choices on her 10 ballots were distributed among the remaining three.

Following the second count, Eikland had 44 votes, Peters 25 and Stephen 11.

Unlike the preferential voting system used to select the chief, voting for positions of councillor was the traditional first-past-the-post method.

Forty-eight Northern Tutchone members cast ballots, and 34 Upper Tanana exercised their right.

In the election for Northern Tutchone councillors it was: Nieman, 45; Broeren, 28; Jack, 27; Melissa Issac, 21; and Crystalena Sam, 18.

In the election for Upper Tanana councillors, it was: Johnny, 23; John, 20; Eikland Sr., 18; Rosemarie Vander Meer, 14; and David Johnny Jr., 8.

There was a move to change the election rules for White River out of a growing concern that non-status members living in Alaska could be having undue influence on the direction of the White River First Nation, without family lineage being clear-cut in some cases.

Status members living in Alaska were still eligible to vote, as were status and non-status Canadian members.

There was also a concern that by restricting the vote to only those present was unfair for members who couldn't get to Beaver Creek for one reason or the other, while those living just across the border could.

The referendum also called for a new election, though the three-year term of the previous council was up late last year in any case.

Voting opened up in early December with advance polls in Beaver Creek and Whitehorse, the general vote was held in Beaver Creek Dec. 17 and mail-in ballots were allowed until last Thursday.

The new chief could not be reached for comment before press time this afternoon.