Buctouche First Nation members say election ‘unfair and undemocratic’ – CBC

Feb 22, 2016

Gary Sanipass, running for chief, says voting rules too restrictive

A man running for chief of the Buctouche First Nation wants voting rules on his reserve to change.

Garry Sanipass says not all band members of legal voting age are allowed to cast ballots in the election set for the end of Feb. 28.

Sanipass, who has held the position before, is up against incumbent Chief Ann Mary Steele, who has held the position for ten years.

He says the way voting works now is unfair and undemocratic. The rules state, “If you are native and a band member and live on the reserve but work off reserve you are not allowed to vote, if you’re a band member who happens to live off reserve you are not allowed to vote.”

Read More: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/buctouche-band-council-election-1.3459207