Rusty Cheezo beat out Edward Gilpin with 145 votes to Gilpin’s 111 to become Eastmain’s new Chief. In the race for Deputy Chief, Johnny Tomatuk defeated incumbent John Brown by an overwhelming majority of 176 votes to Brown’s 82 votes.
The March 20 and 21 election for Chief and Council of Eastmain also saw Kenneth Gilpin and Bessie Tomatuk elected as Councillors. Stanley Gilpin and Gregory Mayappo were tied at 26 votes apiece for the third Band Council position.
The third office of Councillor will be decided in another election on April 11.
The Eastmain election was called following former Chief Lloyd Mayappo’s letter of resignation, tendered February 19.
