Former Liberal minister Sue Edelman has been named the Yukon's election returning officer.

Edelman, who underwent a lengthy hiring competition, was appointed to the position on Feb. 15 along with other new returning officers in the 308 federal ridings across the country.

The Federal Accountability Act, which was passed by the Conservative government in December 2006, passed the authority of recruiting and hiring returning officers to Canada's Chief Electoral Officer.

Prior to Feb. 10, returning officers were chiefly selected by government appointment.

'It was quite rigorous,' Edelman told the Star Tuesday of the merit-based process that saw her appointed.

'It used straight competition and was right across Canada. It's a real change in culture.'

Edelman will now be responsible for administering the electoral process in the Yukon and ensuring elections are handled fairly and impartially.

As part of the position, returning officers must be nonpartisan in politics at the federal, provincial/territorial and municipal levels and not participate in organizations that could be perceived as political.

Edelman cut her ties with the Yukon's Liberal Party to get the job and resigned from every community group she worked with that lobbied for government funding.

She has also left her previous job at Humane Society Yukon. She had been the administrator at the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter.

Edelman said she hasn't found it too hard to distance herself from politics or community involvement just yet.

'I've done my time,' said Edelman, who was a Whitehorse city councillor in the 1990s. 'It's time for someone else to get in there.'

Edelman had to attend two days of training in Vancouver and another six in Ottawa. She learned about Elections Canada's computer systems, interaction with political parties, how to conduct an election and preparedness for when the writ is dropped.

Edelman said she was impressed with the level of thought and organization that Elections Canada has to have to be ready for an election.

Returning officers generally work part-time before an electoral event, which can include a general election, byelection or referendum and full-time during the actual campaign.

They must establish offices, plan and organize the delivery of information on voting and set up the actual polling sites as well as hire and train staff members to work during the election.

Revisions to the voters list must be made that address new residential developments, high-mobility areas and institutions and divisional boundaries must be decided for election day.

'There's a never-ending cycle,' said Edelman. 'You always have to be ready.'

Edelman's appointment will last 10 years. With the current trend of minority governments in the House of Commons, she may have to handle anywhere from two to six elections.

'There's no way to have any idea how many elections there will be,' she said.

Edelman said she applied to the position, which was publicly advertised in newspapers as well as on the Elections Canada website, because she's always been fascinated with the process of government.

Even when Edelman served as a politician, she said she was always more interested with figures such as the Speaker and the clerk of the assembly and the standing orders and precedence in government.

'I was just fascinated with how things worked in there and the process behind it,' she said.

She further added she is a strong supporter of democracy and the democratic process.

'It is an amazing thing we have in this country,' she said. 'It's something we should be proud of. There are places in the world were people die for what we have here.'