As it became clear the Yukon Party would again form the next territorial government with a majority win in yesterday's election, Yukon Liberals opted to look five years down the road at the next election.

'It wasn't the result we all were working for, but it is a great beginning,' Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell told approximately 50 Liberal supporters gathered at the Gold Rush Inn for the Liberal celebration.

After earning five seats in yesterday's election, Mitchell said the party would be even stronger at the next territorial vote.

In 2002, the then-Liberal government was decimated to only one seat held by former leader Pat Duncan.

This time, Mitchell said, the party came back stronger, pointing to the five seat win.

In this vote, it was difficult to run against the thriving economy, he told the party faithful.

Winning the five seats were Mitchell in the Copperbelt riding; former NDP MLA Gary McRobb in Kluane; Eric Fairclough, another former NDP MLA, in Mayo-Tatchun; and Don Inverarity in Porter Creek South, Duncan's former riding and Darius Elias in Vuntut Gwitchin.

Inverarity won by only six votes ahead of Yukon Party MLA Dean Hassard, who had previously represented Pelly-Nisutlin.

As he addressed the crowd, Mitchell said all three parties had run on issues and he is looking forward to working in a constructive manner in the legislature. Sending a message out to NDP leader Todd Hardy, he said every Yukoner learned a lesson in courage watching Hardy battle leukemia as he continued to work through the campaign.

After thanking his wife Nancy and the many volunteers on the campaign, Mitchell also reflected on his own experience running for office, telling those who didn't win a seat that he had been there, assuring them they would come back stronger if they chose to run again.

To those joining him in the legislature, he said: 'Tonight's our first step towards the next election.'

The Liberals, he said, would continue to fight for voters.

'You can be damn sure we're not done fighting,' he said. 'We'll be your watch dog.'

Speaking to reporters following his address, Mitchell said the Liberals knew it would be difficult going into the election.

In this vote, it was difficult to run against the thriving economy, he said.

The Liberal leader was planning to meet with his new caucus in the next few days and expects a fall sitting will be scheduled by Fentie shortly.

While he noted he has concerns about another Yukon Party term, he also noted that some of the ideas coming out of the Yukon Party's platform were similar to those put forward by the Liberals. He also pointed out the Yukon Party has a reduced majority compared to 2002.

Describing the Liberals as a reinvigorated party, Mitchell stressed that he was looking forward to the next election.

Hardy later arrived at the Liberal celebration to shake Mitchell's hand.

As theories surfaced of the thriving economy leading to the Yukon Party's win, former premier Pat Duncan, who arrived after the results were in, said: 'It was really an election about incumbents.'

In most ridings, voters stayed faithful to the incumbents running. McRobb and Fairclough were both re-elected after moving from the NDP to the Liberals.

In ridings where there were no incumbents, voters seemed to remain faithful to the party and in two ridings voted for the candidate who represented the previously successful party. In Vuntut Gwitchin; however, Elias defeated incumbent NDP MLA Lorraine Peter by 25 votes.

The former premier said she was disappointed there weren't more women elected into office. Of the 16 women who sought a seat, only incumbent MLA Elaine Taylor in Whitehorse West and Marian Horne in Pelly-Nisutlin, both for the Yukon Party, won seats.

Mitchell said he was extremely proud of Elias. The win shows the respect the people in Old Crow have for him, Mitchell said.

Before the results were known, a few supporters began trickling in to the event just after 8 p.m.

Gathered around the television, they watched as the results began showing a close race between Liberal and Yukon Party candidates.

This marked McRobb's first election in the more than a decade he's spent in legislature that he's not been in his riding on election night.

This time, he said, the overall result was more important than his riding.

He and his constituents would be dissatisfied if he was elected into opposition for a third straight term, he said early in the night as he predicted a Liberal majority win with 11 seats for the Liberals, five for the Yukon Party and two for the NDP.

'I'm hopeful the Liberals will form the next government,' he said.

As the evening wore on and CBC broadcasters declared a Yukon Party majority win again, McRobb suggested the next government will simply be a rehash of the past four years.

He acknowledged there were a few positive aspects for him such as the Liberals picking up an additional seat.

Leaning back in a chair at a table decked out in Liberal red and white, McRobb suggested the good state of the economy (thanks to world metal prices) was among the reasons voters decided to stick with the status quo.

There's also the reality of a party versus the public perception.

'There's a great division in the reality of the Yukon Party and (what) the public has perceived,' he said.

Liberal campaign manager Mike Travill also suggested the economy had a role in the vote.

'It's an uphill climb,' he said, noting the party was pleased with how the campaign went after developing a platform and a strategy.

The Liberals showed the direction they were charting.

As results continued to flow in with televisions set up for CBC coverage, supporters cheered on the Liberal candidates.

'Come on Lesley, that a girl,' one supporter said as it showed Riverdale North candidate Lesley Cabott in the lead.

She was eventually defeated by incumbent Yukon Party MLA Ted Staffen, who received 429 votes. Cabott garnered 373 votes in the riding, while NDP candidate James McCullough ended up with 172.

Scott Kent, who served as a minister in Duncan's Liberal government, was also on hand with the Liberals last night after helping numerous candidates on the campaign trail.

'I just can't stay away,' he said.

In 2002, Kent ran for a second term in Porter Creek Centre (after his Riverside riding was taken out in riding realignment) but was defeated by the Yukon Party's Archie Lang, who won his seat again last night.

Kent said he opted not to run this time around because he recently took a new job and wanted to stick to his commitment.

'It's a lot less nerve-wracking,' he said, adding he's pleased with where Mitchell's taking the party.

While Inverarity won the Porter Creek South seat by just six votes, McIntyre-Takhini candidate Ed Schultz was defeated by only eight votes in what he described as a 'heartbreaker'.

'It's not for a lack of trying,' he said noting how difficult it has been to break into territorial politics.

Inverarity, while obviously pleased with the win, said he would be 'holding (his) breath' for a recount, given the six vote difference.

From safety to land-use planning, many issues came up on the doorsteps during his campaign, but almost all voters he talked to wanted to see honesty and integrity in the next government, said Inverarity.

'That was a big issue all around,' he said.

Others defeated in their run said they enjoyed the experience of seeking a seat and knocking on doors.

Riverdale South candidate Phil Treusch, who took 324 votes compared to 357 for Yukon Party candidate Glenn Hart, suggested voters in his riding had been served well by all three candidates in the riding who were out on doorsteps listening to voters through the election.

He said there didn't seem to be a single issue voters were focused on in the riding. Many, he suggested, may have wanted to continue with the status quo.