On June 30, 2026, NCN Chief and Council passed a Council Resolution issuing an election order for the Chief and Council 2026 – 2030 term of office. The election date is set for Wednesday, August 26, 2026, and Thursday, August 27, 2026 to elect one (1) Chief and six (6) Councillors.

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

  • Nomination Papers Available – June 30, 2026
  • Workshop for Potential Candidates – July 8, 2026
  • Nomination Papers Deadline – July 15, 2026
  • Nomination Meeting (Nelson House) – July 20, 2026
  • Mail-In-Ballots Available – July 23, 2026
  • Voters List (posted in five (5) public places – August 12, 2026
  • Mail-In-Ballots Deadline – August 25, 2026
  • Election Days – August 26 – 27, 2026

POLLING LOCATIONS

Nelson House, Leaf Rapids, Thompson, Winnipeg and Mail-In-Ballots

CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY

A person is qualified and eligible to be nominated for, and elected to, the positions of chief or councillor if the person:

  • Is a registered NCN Citizen 18 years or older on Election Day, with proof of Identity;
  • Is able to communicate in the English or Nehetho languages;
  • Attends the July 20, 2026 Nomination Meeting to confirm they wish to stand for office, but the person shall not run for Chief and Councillor in the same election.

All persons seeking nomination must provide the following to the Electoral Officer no later than 1:00 pm on Wednesday, July 15, 2026;

  • A $50.00 non-refundable fee
  • One 2” X 2” black and white head-and-shoulder photo (or digital photo)
  • Written consent of the candidate, clearly indicating they are willing to run for the position they have been nominated for;
  • Names, addresses and signatures of at least 25 NCN Voters in support of the nomination
  • Directions about how the candidates name is to appear on the ballot.
  • A written Criminal Records Check (CRC) issued no more than three (3) months prior to the date of the nomination meeting:
  • CRC must confirm the person has never been convicted of an indictable offence or sentenced to serve a jail term for an indictable or hybrid offence or it is at least eight (8) years from the date of the conviction, jail sentence or any appeal arising from the conviction or jail sentence whichever is later; and was never convicted of murder, manslaughter or sexual assault of any nature;
  • Provide the Electoral Officer with written confirmation from the Peacekeepers Tribunal that the person has participated in restorative justice and the tribunal as decided the person is no longer prohibited from seeking election to council if the person was convicted of murder, manslaughter or sexual assault of any nature;
  • Written confirmation from a reputable organization qualified to administer drug tests that the person has taken a test for illegal drugs within fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the nomination meeting and it was negative;
  • A written acknowledgement that the person agrees to be subject to random drug tests throughout the electoral period and if elected during the four-year term of office and consents to the results being provided to the Electoral Officer during the election and to the Chief Executive Officer following the election,

To be eligible to vote, individuals must:

  • Be an NCN Citizen 18 years or older on election day, with proof of identity
  • Provide the Electoral Officer or Deputy Electoral Officer with their current address to obtain election participation documents (please inform NCN Citizens friends and family not on the voters list to contact the NCN Membership Clerk Melissa Moore @ 204-484-2604 to add their names to the NCN Membership list)

Mail-In-Ballots

  • Mail in ballots will be available for any eligible voter who lives more than 50 kilometers from the in-person polling locations in Nelson House, Leaf Rapids, Thompson or Winnipeg.
  • Any voter who qualifies for a mail in ballot and wishes to vote by mail must register with the Electoral Officer or Deputy Electoral Officer, registration can take place any time after June 30, 2026,
  • To request a mail in ballot contact the Electoral or Deputy Electoral Officer to register to vote and once you are registered they will then mail out the ballots to you.

For more information, please contact: