First Indigenous woman elected to Manitoba legislature

A byelection in The Pas Tuesday put the first Indigenous woman in the Manitoba Legislature.

Voters in the vast northern riding have been without a representative for almost a year since New Democrat Frank Whitehead resigned last May for health reasons.

The Pas has generally been considered a safe seat for the NDP government -- Whitehead won 73 per cent of the vote in the last provincial election.

But the NDP's popularity has sunk in opinion polls since the government raised the provincial sales tax in 2013, prompting an internal party revolt.

There was a hiccup at two assisted-living homes, where the votes were set aside and residents were given a chance to vote again.

Elections Manitoba says there was an administrative error -- the homes were treated as institutional ballot stations when in reality residents were supposed to go to the regular polling station in their area.

Running for the NDP was Amanda Lathlin, a former band councillor and daughter of Oscar Lathlin, who represented The Pas between 1990 and 2008.

By midnight, 56 of 56 polling stations were reporting. The unofficial results saw Lathlin claim the lead with 1,557 votes.

Opponents Jacob Nasekapow, a former band councillor in Moose Lake running for the Progressive Conservatives, had 817 votes; Inez Vystrcil-Spence, a Liberal who has worked for the group that represents northern First Nations, trailed at 369.

Late Tuesday evening, Premier Greg Selinger took to Twitter to deliver a celebratory message: "Congratulations to Amanda Lathlin on her historic win – 1st Indigenous woman elected to the Manitoba legislature."

Voter turnout was around 22 per cent.

- with files from The Canadian Press