Longtime Yukoner Cynthia Kearns has received the nod from the Yukon Party to run as its candidate in the Nov. 21 Copperbelt riding byelection.

'My vision for the constituency of Copperbelt is clear,' Kearns told about 86 Yukon Party members and onlookers at Thursday evening's nomination meeting.

'It is a safe community, where both young and old feel secure. It's a place where workers, whether in government, business or otherwise, are treated with respect, dignity and integrity.'

Attendees included Premier Dennis Fentie and his entire caucus, except for Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon and Health Minister Peter Jenkins.

Seventy-four ballots were cast at the meeting. The official breakdown of the votes was not released.

Local businessman Daryl Novakowski was Kearns' only rival.

Kearns, 54, told reporters she felt the fact she has lived in the Yukon most of her life helped her win the nomination.

'That garners friends, relationships that helps.'

Kearns is originally from Watson Lake and has known Fentie, the town's MLA, for years. She has also worked on Energy, Mines and Resource Minister Archie Lang's campaigns in the past.

'These are my friends,' she said. 'These are people I have known for most of my life; these are people I have a huge confidence in. I'm just honoured and delighted they are willing to accept me,' she said.

Kearns has been visiting about 10 doors a night since announcing her intentions to run for the party's nomination on Oct. 4.

The main concerns for the riding are ensuring safe and secure communities and seniors' issues, she said.

'By in large, people are happy. I didn't get any negative sense at the doors at all, I really didn't,' she said.

'Maybe I was just fortunate enough to knock on the right doors, but nobody abused me, it was very nice, it was very pleasant. I felt good about it all.'

The Copperbelt riding became vacant when independent MLA Haakon Arntzen resigned on Sept. 9. That followed his sentencing for a May 2005 conviction of the indecent assaults of two women in the 1970s.

Arntzen was a Yukon Party MLA until he left the caucus in spring 2004 following the charges being laid against him.

The Yukon Party refused to debate a motion put forward by the NDP during the spring sitting of the legislature that asked for Arntzen to quit.

Fentie maintained that forcing Arntzen's resignation would deny him his fundamental rights and the judicial process of the courts would be allowed to conclude before any move was made to rid the legislature of the MLA.

During the summer months, the Yukon Party government received a great deal of criticism from the opposition parties and the community for that decision.

However, Kearns said she did not experience any negative backlash at doorsteps in the riding.

'That's a past issue, and most of the people I spoke to are embracing the future and looking forward,' she said.

Kearns lives in Porter Creek and works as a volunteer director for the Victoria Faulkner Women's Centre. She told party members she'll be able to devote 100 per cent of her time to the campaign and to being an MLA.

During her address, she expressed a need to return to 'the trenches' to reach out and listen to constituents, while keeping them involved and informed.

'There are men and women in this riding that want to be heard. I have been listening and I will continue to listen,' she said.

Kearns started her campaign today. Though she admitted winning the byelection won't be a 'cake walk', she felt the turnout at the meeting boded well for the party.

'I think the byelection looks very positive for us, very good. I'm just quite relieved, actually.'

Fentie agreed the turnout was good, adding it showed why the 'Yukon Party is the right choice.

'Tonight, we take a step to meet a challenge that is ahead, and that is to ensure that this party returns to office in the next general election,' he said.

The writ for the byelection was dropped today. Fentie announced the byelection date on Thursday morning.

Maureen Stephens is running for the NDP in the riding and Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell will represent his party in the byelection.