Frequently Asked Questions

You can vote if you are:

• A Canadian citizen
• 18 years or older
• A Nunavut resident

You are disqualified from voting if:

• You have a court order that says you don’t understand your actions or you can’t decide things for yourself;
• You committed a crime and are in a place for people with mental illness
• You have been convicted of breaking an election law anywhere in Canada in the last five years.

For more information, see Who Can Vote?

Residents can also do this by clicking on their region on the Constituency page. 

To become a candidate for Member of the Legislative Assembly, follow these steps:

1. Read Elections Nunavut’s guides:

• Guide for Candidates
• Guide for Financial Agents
• Guide to Manage a Campaign
• Guide to the Nunavut Elections Act

2. Check with your employer.

Some employers have rules for employees who are candidates. For example, you might have to take a leave of absence during election time.

3. Choose a Financial Agent and a Campaign Manager.

As a candidate, you have to have a Financial Agent. This person manages all the money for your campaign. They take contributions from supporters, pay expenses, and help you do your financial return after the election. It is up to you whether to have a Campaign Manager. You do not have to have one.

4. Declare your candidacy.

Fill out the Declaration of Candidacy. It must be signed by you and your Financial Agent.

• Take it to your local Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer.
• You must do this between 35 to 31 days before Election Day. The cut-off on the last day is at 2 p.m. (local time).
• You must provide a $200 deposit with your Declaration of Candidacy.

To learn more about becoming a candidate, see For Candidates.

There are various options available to you. Here are the main ones:

• Office of the Returning Officer - From 14 to 4 days before Election Day, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  or
  Advance vote – One day only, in communities with no Returning Officer, 7 days before Election Day, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Mail-in ballot - For voters who won't be in their communities during the voting days. Complete the Special Ballot Application Form. Then print it and send it to us by fax or mail. Once your application is approved, we will send you a mail-in ballot kit.

To learn more, see Ways to Vote.

Contact Elections Nunavut to inquire as to any available positions in your community.

If there is a tie, or if the difference between the first two candidates is less than 2% of the total number of votes, the Returning Officer applies to the court for a judicial recount. At the recount, which can be attended by the candidates, a judge counts the ballots. If they find that one candidate obtained a higher number of votes than any other, that candidate is declared elected. If, on the other hand, there is still a tie in the number of votes, the Chief Electoral Officer orders a by-election to be held in that constituency.

When voting ends, the election officials close the doors and begin the process of counting the votes for each candidate.

There are procedures in place the election officials must follow to ensure the count is accurate, fair and transparent. Candidates or their authorized representative are permitted to watch the count.

Each constituency is represented by a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Nunavut has 22 constituencies. The city of Iqaluit has four constituencies, and some other larger communities have two.

We elect Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) during general elections. There are currently 22 sitting in the Legislative Assembly. Each one represents his or her own constituency. The role of an MLA can be described in two ways: 

1. Spokesperson for the people in his/her constituency.
2. Representative of his/her constituencies, acting in sound judgment to defend their interests. MLAs play a critical role in keeping the people of their constituencies informed of the work undertaken by the government, and, on the other hand, of keeping the government informed of their constituencies' needs and reactions to the current issues facing the government.

More information on the Legislative Assembly and the work of MLAs can be found on the website of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.

A territorial by-election happens when a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) leaves their job before the next general election. In a by-election, only eligible voters in that constituency can vote for their MLA.

A territorial general election is when there’s a vote in all of Nunavut’s communities for all 22 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).

The next territorial general election will be on October 27, 2025. Elections are usually held every 4 years. The last general election was in 2021.

To learn about the different candidates, go to the Constituency Page.

If you are on the Voters List, you will get a Voter Information Card in the mail early in the election period that will show where and when to vote on Election Day, and also where to vote in advance.

The results will be posted on the home page of this site soon after the closing of the polls and the counting of the ballots. They will also be announced in local media.

Learn about your current Member of the Legislative Assembly by clicking on your area on the Constituency Map. Clicking on their name will take you to a brief biography as well as their contact information.