In a recent ruling, the Federal Court has mandated a judicial recount in the election for a council position within the Paul First Nation, Alberta, after discovering discrepancies in the vote count.

This decision comes after William House contested the election results, which initially declared Delores G. Rain as the winner by a single vote following a recount. The election, overseen by electoral officer Drew Shaw from the firm One Feather in Victoria, ended in controversy when it was revealed that some mail-in ballots, received after Shaw had left for Paul First Nation from Victoria, were not included in the recount. Despite House’s request for another recount upon discovering the oversight, Shaw declined, citing the formal proclamation of the results.

The Federal Court, in a detailed judgment, underscored the importance of every vote being counted accurately, stating the failure to include certain mail-in ballots in the recount likely affected the election’s outcome. As a remedy, the court ordered a judicial recount of votes for House and Rain, emphasizing the integrity of the electoral process.