Glenn Bennett has been returned as chief councillor for the Kitselas First Nation, handily defeating his next closest challenger Joe Bevan who has held the position before.
Bennett received 134 votes to Bevan's 51 when votes were counted June 12. Tyler West-Johnson received 21 votes followed by Roxanne Ridler with 13, Ian Gerow with 7 and Freda Wright with 4.
There were two spoiled ballots of the 232 cast for the position of chief councillor.
Kitselas votes every two years and this is Bennett's third win since 2021.
Twenty-two people ran for the seven council seats with Cyril Bennett-Nabess topping the polls with 169 votes followed by Jericho Collison (Bevan) at 131 votes, Gerald Nyce at 120 votes, Kenneth Mcdames Jr. at 112 votes, Victor Wright at 101 votes, Jorden Squires at 95 votes and Cheryl Campbell at 78 votes.
Geneva Wright-Erickson did not seek re-election after serving two terms while new to the council will be Cheryl Campbell and Jordan Squires. The remainder of the seven successful candidates were re-elected.
Kitselas Facts
For now Kitselas is governed under the Indian Act, so elections are held every two years.
This election on June 12, 2025 was the 61st held under the Indian Act. Kitselas held its first band council on June 12, 1904.
With Kitselas voters this spring overwhelmingly approving of a treaty with British Columbia and Canada, this will be the second-to-last band council election under the Indian Act.
That's based on a four-year estimate to bring in the treaty, called a living document by the First Nation.
When the Kitselas Constitution comes into effect, the First Nation will hold elections as provided for in the new law.
The seven current band council seats are determined through the Indian Act calling for one elected councillor for every 100 registered members to a limit of 12 councillors. Kitselas has approximately 750 members.
This election marks the conclusion of approximately 26 years of elected involvement either as a chief councillor or councillor for Judy Gerow. Her name was put forward this time, but she withdrew it.
Gerow was an assistant treaty negotiator to chief negotiator Mel Bevan, an interim treaty negotiator and is a founding member of Kitselas 5 Tier, a comprehensive skills training and food hub.
Kitselas is a Smalgyax speaking community with 10 Indian reserves between the confluence of the Skeena and Ukstall River at Port Essington (Spskhuut IR8), and the most eastern, below Watson Lake Trails (Ketnda IR7), east of Terrace.
The Kitselas treaty provides approximately 90,000 acres of treaty lands and $140 million in cash.
Recent highlights include a 40-unit housing development at its Gitaus location. A $24 million community centre is under development, also at Gitaus.
Kitselas Facts courtesy of Cyril Bennett-Nabess.
