Native participation in free elections: The case of the Northwest Territories (Canada)

The administrator of elections in Canada's Northwest Territories is faced with a variety of special circumstances which make the electoral process less straightforward than in other parts of the country. Examples are: an extremely low population density, at least ten languages split among three distinct cultures, considerable illiteracy, a high migratory population, and a harsh climate. This paper examines the means by which elections to the Council of the Northwest Territories are carried out and describes some of the particular techniques which have enabled elections in this area to achieve a rate of participation comparable to that of the other provinces in Canada.