After winning by just nine votes in Cambridge Bay, Jeannie Ehaloak admits that she's facing anxious days ahead as a mandatory recount takes place due to winning with less than a two per cent margin of victory.
"It's going to be a long week. I'm not going to lie to you," said the Cambridge Bay mayor of six years.
Pamela Gross, who earned 250 votes to Ehaloak's 259, couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
After taking a month off to campaign, Ehaloak said she'd be back in the office at the Nunavut Impact Review Board, where she's the manager of communications, as of Nov. 1.
"I'll go back to work (Wednesday) and wait for the results. We'll see what happens," she said.
If she is confirmed as MLA, Ehaloak said her first order of business will be to get to know all of her legislative colleagues.
"And then through communication and talking with all the members, we'll figure out how this next government will run, what our next mandate is going to be," she said.
She added that she avoids making specific campaign promises.
"I want to work on issues that are affecting our community – to be a healthy and safe place to live for our residents. Those are the things I want to work on," she said.
No matter the outcome, Ehaloak said she, Gross and candidate Harry Maksagak can all be proud of their efforts.
"The three of us ran a really good, clean campaign. We all worked very hard," she said. "People wanted door-to-door, they got door-to-door. People wanted candidates coming out and speaking to them, and all three of us did that."