One of the most recent federal candidates in the territory is switching gears to territorial politics and setting his sights on becoming an MLA.

Kelvin Kotchilea, who ran as the NDP candidate in the past two federal elections, received less than 15 per cent of the vote this time. His third-place finish also marked a significant drop in support for both Kotchilea and the party he represented. In 2021, he received 4,558 votes, translating to about 32 per cent of the total.

"The North needs voices that will not stay silent, voices that will rise and speak to the real challenges we face in our beautiful territory," Kotchilea said in a Facebook post after the election. "With clarity in my heart and the support of my family, I have decided that my next political run will be for Member of the Legislative Assembly in 2027."

Kotchilea said this is all he will share for now and more details will come once nominations open.

As for the NDP, it will not have official party status under House of Commons rules, which require a party to hold at least 12 seats to be recognized. The NDP won just seven, which included Lori Idlout managing to hold on to her seat in a narrow 77-vote win that was only confirmed the day following the federal election on April 29.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has announced he will resign once the party appoints an interim leader.

Conservative candidate Kimberly Fairman received a little more 5,400 votes, or about one-third of the total. That鈥檚 a notable improvement from the last election, when the party鈥檚 then-candidate Lea Anne Mollison secured only 14 per cent of the vote as a drop-in candidate.

NWT MP-elect Rebecca Alty took a little more than 53 per cent of the vote in the April 28 election.