Rochelle Porter has been elected to the fourth councillor position at St’uxwtéws (Bonaparte First Nation), meaning that for the first time in the band's history, all four of the councillor seats are held by women.
On May 3, Chief Frank Antoine was re-elected, as were councillors Tammy Brown, Matilda Morgan, and Verna Billy Minnabarriet. Neal Antoine and Rochelle Porter tied for the fourth and final council seat, with each candidate receiving 104 votes.
A run-off election was held on May 9, with band members able to vote in person or online. When the votes were tallied, Porter had received 181 (32 in person, 149 online), while Antoine received 76 votes (31 in person and 45 online).
Due to recent changes to the length of term served by St’uxwtéws chief and councillors, Antoine will serve as chief for four years, and Brown and Morgan will each serve four years as councillor. Minnabarriet and Porter will each serve for two years, at which time there will be an election for those seats.
"History has been made for St’uxwtéws we have an all women Council," noted a post on the band's Facebook page. There were numerous messages of congratulation, with one person noting "Today marks a new era of leadership and possibility for St'uxwtéws! Congratulations Rochelle Porter and all the newly elected councillors!"
