BLOG | N.W.T. election 2015: Who's running for re-election?

With N.W.T.'s territorial election date now set for Nov. 23, a number of potential candidates for MLA have come forward to throw their hat in the ring.

The official nomination period opens Oct. 26 and closes at 2 p.m. Oct. 30, but here's what we know so far on who's planning to run and where.

Two-term Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro has said she won't be running; she's decided to retire.

Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley said Monday he's still unsure whether or not he'll run for another term. The Yellowknives Dene communities of Ndilo and Dettah, which were previously part of the Weledeh electoral district, will join the Tu Nedhe constituency in this election.

A number of MLAs have confirmed to CBC News that they will be running, including:

• Robert C. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes
• Michael Nadli, Deh Cho
• Robert Bouchard, Hay River North
• Jackson Lafferty, Monfwi
• Daryl Dolynny, Range Lake
• Norman Yakeleya, Sahtu
• ​Alfred Moses, Inuvik Boot Lake

Robert Hawkins announced Thursday he will also once again be running in the territorial election for Yellowknife Centre, instead of seeking the Liberal nomination in the upcoming federal election. 

Neither Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen nor Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger have said whether they will run. They are two of only four N.W.T. MLAs to have ever served five terms, along with Ludy Pudluk and the late Tom Butters. 

If either of them is re-elected, he or she would become the longest serving MLA in the territory's history.

New candidates

Yellowknife city councillor and former deputy mayor Cory Vanthuyne told CBC News last week he is planning on running for MLA but wouldn't say in what Yellowknife electoral district.

At least three women who participated in a campaign school for women run by the N.W.T. government and the Status of Women Council of the N.W.T. earlier this year said they're looking to join the race.

One of them is former CBC North journalist Julie Green, who has yet to formally announce candidacy.

"I have always lived in Yellowknife Centre so it makes sense for me to look at running here," she said in an email Monday. 

Caroline Cochrane-Johnson, who called the campaign school "wonderful," said she is also thinking about running. She is a Métis woman from Yellowknife and is currently CEO of the Centre for Northern Families. 

Skills Canada NWT executive director Jan Fullerton said she is also planning on running but hasn't decided where.

Another Yellowknife city councillor, an indigenous rights activist, a well-known musician and even a former premier have told CBC News they are all considering throwing their hats in the ring. We'll keep you posted as soon as we receive word that they've made up their minds.

Advance polls open Nov. 16. On election day Nov. 23, polls will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.