shíshálh Nation has elected its first woman as hiwus (Chief). yalxwemult (Lenora Joe) was elected with a total of 166 votes.
Just before midnight on Feb. 18, outgoing hiwus Warren Paull announced the election results. Paull, who was running for re-election, had 105 votes cast in his favour. Shiloh Joe was in second place with 114.
Of the 1,060 Nation members eligible to vote, 388 voted. (One ballot was spoiled and two were rejected, bringing the counted total to 385 ballots).
As she heard the news, yalxwemult broke out in tears. Surrounded by friends and family, it was “surreal” and overwhelming to learn she had been elected, yalxwemult told Coast Reporter the next morning. yalxwemult was named after her grandmother, who was the first female shíshálh Nation counselor in 1947. To become the first female chief as she tries to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps means a lot to yalxwemult.
yalxwemult has previously run for election. In 2020, she lost to Warren Paull by a margin of six votes. Of the 50-plus margin between herself and the other hiwus candidates, yalxwemult said, “I think the community was really looking for a change. There has been an ongoing concern with transparency and accountability… We’re not used to not knowing what’s happening in our organization.
“The job of the organization is to carry out the community’s wishes.”
Now that she’s been elected, yalxwemult said her priorities include a housing plan, elder care and determining how to spend incoming reconciliation funding. Above all, her main focus is on communication with the community.
“I’m not going to make decisions unless I know that’s what the community wants,” she said. “I really want to focus on how we communicate with our community, with the elders, with the youth. How do we get people involved? I think that may be a challenge in the beginning, because people are used to not being asked.
“So bringing people back to the table and saying, ‘No, your voice matters, and we need to hear from you.’”
Four hehiwus (councillor) positions were also elected: ch’elkwilwet (Raquel Joe) received the most votes at 185, followed by Shain Niniwum Salepem Jackson with 180. Philip Paul and F. Rochelle Jones were also elected to council with 169 and 167 votes respectively.
There were 10 councillor candidates running for election. Andrea Paul received 157 votes, while Nievelina Carmona (?ulsheniy) had 154 votes in her name, Tina Joe took home 149 votes, Ben F. Pierre totalled at 112 votes, Wesley Oshawa Jeffries with 100, and Lois Vader ended the night with 62 votes.
Voting took place earlier in the day between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the Nation's community hall. Advance voting was held on Feb. 12.
In the previous election in 2020, 980 people were eligible to vote. hiwus Warren Paull was elected for his second consecutive term by a total of 132 votes — a difference of six votes over yalxwemult. Councillors Corey August, Alvina Paul, Selina August and Barbara Joe were acclaimed. In 2022, Philip Paul was elected by a by-election.
The new chief and council will take office on March 1.
