The territory is set to get a new Elections Canada returning officer, the Star has learned.

Michael J. Lauer has sent out a message saying that after years of political involvement, the current Department of Highways and Public Works employee will step in to a neutral role with the independent federal agency.

Lauer has spent time with the Conservative Party of Canada – and was at one point a member of the party’s leadership election organizing committee. His message says he has “decided to take a break from my political activities.”

It goes on to cite that he will no longer be politically involved as he looks to perform his duties in a “new neutral capacity of Returning Officer.”

The memo also notes that Lauer, currently “serving as Yukon’s Financial Agent since 2006,” is also a representative on the National Policy and Constitution Committee.

It says he will be resigning from these committees and membership from the federal party.

A 2015 Justice department document lists Lauer as a notary who was appointed in 2006. The expiration date is shown as exactly a decade later, in March 2016.

He was also listed as the president of the Hillcrest Community Association in a 2001 interim report on the territory’s electoral district boundaries commission.

Most recently, Lauer was involved with former Yukon Party premier Darrell Pasloski’s campaign. He is currently listed as a systems administrator under the information and communications technology division of the Department of Highways and Public Works.

Reached by the Star this morning, Lauer said he would not comment, though he hopes an official announcement from the federal agency will come “sooner rather than later.”

Sue Edelman, a territorial Liberal cabinet minister from 2000 to 2002, was appointed in May 2017 as the last returning officer for the Yukon.

Matthew McKenna, a spokesperson for the agency, confirmed that Elections Canada learned of a vacancy in December, after Edelman’s departure.

Applications were accepted January to March, with interviews held for a couple days in early April.

The agency did not specifically confirm Lauer’s appointment, but McKenna did say an announcement is”imminent.”

The next federal election will take place in 2019.