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The last time Yukon residents voted in a territorial plebiscite it was about allowing the sale of alcohol, this time the vote will be on the equally dizzying question of electoral reform.
More than a century since that 1920 plebiscite, the vote that is expected to be part of this year’s territorial election could see the Yukon become the first jurisdiction in Canada to move to a ranked ballot from the current-first-past-the-post system.
The exact wording of the question for the non-binding vote is expected to be released by the government “in the weeks ahead,” said Chief Electoral Officer Max Harvey, whose office has been planning for the vote for nearly a year.
He called the planning process an “interesting adventure” so far.
It has involved reviewing work done in other jurisdictions, putting together a planning group, organizing committees focused on outreach and education and talking to about half a dozen other chief electoral officers who have run plebiscites.
The next election must happen on or before Nov. 3, meaning it needs to be called by Liberal Premier Mike Pemberton by Oct. 3, at the latest.
The territory will see its number of electoral districts jump from 19 to 21 with 15 of the ridings having new boundaries.
Harvey said public interest in the vote right now “might be at two or three out of 10,” but his office plans to roll out a campaign in September to help make people more aware of the vote.
“We will be doing advertising, we’ll be putting out voters’ guides. We’ll be doing mail outs, we’ll do town halls, doing briefings to political parties, and we’re doing briefings to the media,” he said.
Following a years-long legislative committee on electoral reform, a Citizens’ Assembly, comprised of two people from each of the territory’s 19 electoral districts, issued a report last year recommending a move to a ranked-vote system.
In that system, a voter ranks candidates on their ballots by preference. If the top candidate does not receive at least 50 per cent plus one of the vote, the lowest ranked candidate drops off, and any second and lower preferences on those ballots are reallocated to the remaining candidates until someone meets the threshold.
The report concludes that the system “encourages greater voter participation and an outcome that can be seen as more legitimate in the eyes of voters.”
This isn’t the first time Canadians have considered the idea of electoral reform.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau won the 2015 federal election in part on a promise to end the current first-past-the-post system, but that was eventually abandoned.
British Columbia has held three referendums on the topic, most recently in 2018 when voters decided not to switch to proportional representation.
Harvey said his office is not taking a position on what the result of the vote should be.
“We want to provide impartial, balanced information on both options, and we definitely have no interest in the outcome,” he said.
Whether the results of the vote lead to an actual change will be left to whichever party forms the next government.
Each of the three main parties were asked whether they would implement the change to a ranked ballot if it is what the majority of Yukoners who vote in the plebiscite want.
Liberal cabinet spokeswoman Laura Seeley said in an email that the Liberal government believes any changes “should be guided by the will of Yukoners.”
“If a majority support moving to a ranked-ballot system, we’ll take steps to make that happen,” she said.
NDP Leader Kate White said in a statement that she “absolutely” would respect the direction of voters, adding that her party has been pushing for electoral reform.
“When you vote in this territory, you should have a say in what that process looks like. This plebiscite vote makes that possible,” White said.
A statement from the Yukon Party caucus says its members, who currently form the official opposition, will not be supporting a change to the voting system. “However, if Yukoners clearly indicate they wish to see a change, we’ll respect their direction.”
The opposition caucus said the plebiscite is a result of the process that was created to fulfil a political commitment under the confidence and supply agreement between the Liberals and the NDP that kept the minority government in power.
“We feel that the time, money, and energy being devoted to this entire process would be better prioritized in addressing the many challenges facing Yukoners,” the statement says.
“While our current first-past-the-post system isn’t perfect, it is the system that has served the Yukon and Canada well for generations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025
Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press
