Out of the race, Hart throws support to Bellerose

After being dropped from the ballot for national chief as the lowest vote-getter on the second ballot, former Manitoba regional chief Kevin Hart endorsed front runner Reginald Bellerose.

“We need a new national chief to lead this organization … and at the end, I’m going to be throwing all my support behind Chief Reg Bellerose,” said Hart.

Bellerose raised his lead by three votes on former Ontario regional chief RoseAnne Archibald. Bellerose garnered 113 votes to Archibald’s 110.

Alvin Fiddler from Ontario came in third with 76 votes and Jodi Calahoo-Stonehouse from Alberta, finished with 27 votes.

Hart had 25 votes.

To win the position of national chief, the successful candidate must garner 60 per cent of the vote.  Bellerose and Archibald are both hovering just over the 30 per cent mark.

“Apparent the voice of the chiefs said there should be change that they want at the national level and I want to acknowledge that,” said Hart.

He also said he had concerns with a “data glitch indicating at the beginning that I was in the lead. Nonetheless we have to proceed.”

Less chiefs and proxies cast ballots in the second round at 351 votes. In the first round there were 367 chiefs and proxies voting.

There are 633 First Nations chiefs who are eligible to vote.

Third ballot voting will be held from 7:45 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. EDT. Results will be announced at 10 p.m. EDT.