A one-time Yukon Liberal Party election candidate pled guilty to one offence under the Yukon Elections Act this morning.

The remaining two charges were withdrawn – after testimony that had taken place over two days.

Whitehorse businesswoman Tamara Goeppel was the Liberals’ candidate in Whitehorse Centre in the November 2016 election, losing to incumbent NDP Leader Liz Hanson.

In February 2017, Goeppel was charged with three counts of violating the act:

• two counts of “aiding or abetting persons in making proxy applications”; and

• one count of “inducing persons to falsely declare on proxy applications that they would be absent” from the territory during the designated hours for voting.

Goeppel had initially pled not guilty to all three charges going into this week’s territorial court trial, which began Monday.

Late this morning, however, her lawyer, Robert Fowler, entered the plea after court was briefly recessed.

“We’re well aware of the allegations,” Fowler told the court, noting that the case has garnered significant attention in the last two years.

Monday and today saw two witnesses testify: David Wilkie, the assistant chief electoral officer with Elections Yukon, and Earl MacLeod, a one-time Whitehorse resident who testified this morning via video link from Vernon, B.C.

At least five people were subpoenaed by the Crown, Monday’s proceedings showed, with some not responding.

Before a court break yesterday, it was mentioned that some of those subpoenaed may have been dealing with alcohol and drug addictions or living without a fixed address, perhaps making it difficult for them to respond.

That was in line with Goeppel’s remarks to the charges: she was accused of arranging proxy voting for 10 homeless people, according to a November 2017 release from the Yukon Liberals.

She had previously said the plight of vulnerable people was close to her heart. She told the CBC in 2017 that’s partly why she was working to make their voices heard by encouraging them to vote.

Police charged her several months after the election.

Proxy ballots are meant for those who will likely be away from the territory on advance polling days.

The first witness, Wilkie, faced questions from Fowler under cross-examination Monday and today before the guilty plea was entered and two of the charges withdrawn.

Fowler questioned various publications issued or used by Elections Yukon, saying the language used was not consistent across the board.

To say that “there are different interpretations of legislation would be an understatement; there’s a complete lack of consistency,” he said, objecting to a part of the Crown’s questioning of Wilkie.

His client, he continued, “exercised diligence” by arranging a meeting between Wilkie, her legal counsel at the time, and other Yukon Elections officials after being notified that there were concerns about offences under the act.

Those concerns came in part from an Oct. 26, 2016 phone call from downtown resident Bruce Dent, who said he had been asked by Goeppel to cast a proxy ballot for somebody he did not know, Wilkie testified.

Two days later, on Oct. 28, a decision was made to investigate the allegations.

Judge John Faulkner responded to the Crown’s objection Tuesday, saying that “if the accused took steps to deal with the matter, that would be evidence” that was relevant to the case.

A document entered as an exhibit Monday showed a list of about a dozen names that were listed to vote by proxy during that year.

The list ensures that poll officials “(are) notified this person has applied to vote by proxy,” Wilkie explained.

Goeppel could face a fine of up to $5,000, one year in jail or both.

Faulkner also allowed for the ability of a couple of other witnesses, including a CBC journalist and MacLeod, to testify via video link Monday.

With the guilty plea and the other two charges being withdrawn, that will likely not happen.

Goeppel made a brief foray into federal politics before becoming a territorial candidate. She unsuccessfully sought the Liberal Party of Canada nomination for the Yukon for the 2015 election, losing to current Yukon MP Larry Bagnell.

The Crown did not comment after today’s plea and withdrawn charges.

Both the defence and the Crown are to make joint sentencing submissions Wednesday morning.