# 1983 Northwest Territories general election

The 1983 Northwest Territories general election was held on November 21, 1983.
This was the first election in the Northwest Territories with live television coverage of vote returns.

## Election Results

The election was held in 24 constituencies, up two from the previous general election in 1979, with 15,764 ballot cast, a turnout of 69.72%.
Outgoing Premier George Braden did not run for re-election. Richard Nerysoo was chosen as Premier January 12, 1984, serving over a year until November 5, 1985; Nick Sibbeston was designated Premier following his resignation.

### Election summary

Re-election Statistics :
| 1979 | 1983 | Did not run again | Defeated | Reelected |
| 22 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 16 |

### Candidates

Results by District :
| District | Winner | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Incumbent |
| Aivilik | Tagak Curley* 420 (50.2%) | Piita Irniq 417 (49.8%) | | | | | new district |
| Baffin Central | Pauloosie Paniloo 307 (51.8%) | Iola Matuq 286 (48.2%) | | | | | Ipeelee Kilabuk |
| Baffin South | Joe Arlooktoo 145 (40.9%) | Kananginak Pootoogook 113 (31.8%) | Joanasie Salomonie 97 (27.3%) | | | | Joe Arlooktoo |
| Deh Cho | Samuel Gargan 177 (59.6%) | Joachim Bonnetrouge 120 (39.7%) | | | | | new district |
| Deh Cho Gah | Nick Sibbeston* 428 (51.0%) | Bill Lafferty 411 (49.0%) | | | | | new district |
| Foxe Basin | Elijah Erkloo 196 (33.5%) | Mark Evaluarjuk 159 (27.1%) | James Arvaluk 148 (25.3%) | John Illupalik 80 (13.7%) | | | Mark Evaluarjuk |
| Hay River | Don Stewart 624 (50.3%) | Don Ferguson 616 (49.7%) | | | | | Don Stewart |
| High Arctic | Ludy Pudluk 183 (54.3%) | Frank Pearce 154 (45.7%) | | | | | Ludy Pudluk |
| Hudson Bay | Moses Appaqaq 48 (29.1%) | Johnny Tookalook 37 (22.4%) | Joe Arragutainaq 32 (19.4%) | Zack Novalinga 18 (10.9%) | Johnny Kookie 16 (9.7%) | George Emikotailuk 14 (8.5%) | Moses Appaqaq |
| Inuvik | Tom Butters 596 (64.1%) | Rose Marie Karnes 199 (21.4%) | Cece McCauley 135 (14.5%) | | | | Tom Butters |
| Iqaluit | Dennis Patterson* 575 (71.8%) | Ben Ell 139 (17.4%) | Abe Okpik 87 (10.9%) | | | | new district |
| Kitikmeot East | Michael Angottitauruq 319 (66.5%) | Steve Alookee 161 (33.5%) | | | | | new district |
| Kitikmeot West | Red Pedersen 322 (43.3%) | Bill Lyall 225 (30.3%) | Malcolm MacPahil 111 (14.9%) | Wilfrid MacDonald 85 (11.4%) | | | new district |
| Kivallivik | Gordon Wray* 543 (62.2%) | Peter Kritaqliluk 259 (29.8%) | James Karetak 71 (8.1%) | | | | new district |
| Mackenzie Delta | Richard Nerysoo 339 (65.7%) | Ernest Firth 177 (34.3%) | | | | | Richard Nerysoo |
| Nunakput | Nellie Cournoyea* acclaimed | | | | | | new district |
| Pine Point | Bruce McLaughlin 421 (76.1%) | Clifford Reid 132 (23.9%) | | | | | Bruce McLaughlin |
| Rae-Lac La Martre | James Wah-Shee acclaimed | | | | | | James Wah-Shee |
| Sahtu | John T'Seleie 312 (60.5%) | Peter Fraser* 204 (39.5%) | | | | | new district |
| Slave River | Arnold McCallum 665 (53.0%) | James Heron 591 (47.0%) | | | | | Arnold McCallum |
| Tu Nedhe | Eliza Lawrence 176 (52.5%) | Robert Sayine* 99 (29.6%) | Florence Catholique 60 (17.9%) | | | | new district |
| Yellowknife Centre | Bob MacQuarrie 590 (67.1%) | Terry Daniels 290 (32.9%) | | | | | Bob MacQuarrie |
| Yellowknife North | Michael Ballantyne 409 (47.0%) | Glenn Warner 394 (45.3%) | Kit Spence 61 (7.0%) | R. B. Fells 6 (0.7%) | | | George Braden |
| Yellowknife South | Lynda Sorenson 1,241 (76.6%) | Dan Prima 378 (23.4%) | | | | | Lynda Sorsenson |
* - denotes an incumbent running in a new district