At no time Tuesday night was there a visible threat against the Yukon Party's future as the next territorial government.

From the very earliest returns, the Yukon Party led as different polls began reporting from across the territory.

Though Premier Darrell Pasloski's seat was in question until the very end, and though the first official seat went to Liberal incumbent Darius Elias in Vuntut Gwitchin, by the end of the night there was another Yukon Party majority.

"What a great, historic election today,” Pasloski told some 150 party supporters gathered in the Gold Rush Inn to hear the premier deliver his victory speech.

"As you know, for the first time since we had party politics in the Yukon, since 1978, three consecutive majority governments, Yukon Party.

"Congratulations, everybody.”

The right-leaning party ended the night with 11 seats, one more than it earned in 2006.

The NDP took over the role as official Opposition with six seats at the expense of the Liberals. The Grits won two and lost three, including the seat held by party leader Arthur Mitchell.

While the Yukon Party improved its majority by one seat, its percentage of the popular vote remained relatively the same, at 40.5 per cent, compared to 41 per cent five years ago.

Democracy, Pasloski said in his opening remarks to the party faithful, is alive and well in the Yukon.

The premier spent time thanking his family, the candidates and their families, their campaign teams and key personnel who have been working 24-7 at the central headquarters since last May.

The candidates of the other four parties also deserve recognition and thanks for giving Yukoners a choice and presenting their own platforms, he said.

"I know they believe passionately about their vision for the territory,” said the premier, who sworn in exactly four months ago Tuesday.

"But as the Yukon Party, we also believe and feel very strongly about our vision for the territory, and we'll continue to move forward together with that.”

Pasloski, 50, went on to thank all Yukoners for their dedication to the democratic process, resulting in some of the highest turnouts in the country – 76.2 per cent of eligible voters this time around.

Despite the uncertainty of the premier's seat until the very last poll reported in Mountainview, as the likelihood of another majority government grew, so did the number of jubilant supporters inside the Town Hall at the Gold Rush Inn.

There were men and women from the business community, former members of the party, representatives of the mining industry, contractors and builders.

"I've been a party supporter for as long as I can remember, especially since Darrell got in,” said Judy Miller. "I have always had an interest, but because I am a great supporter of his, much more so this time around.”

Miller said she liked what the premier had to say during the campaign and what he stands for.

He brings a fresh approach to the party, she said while keeping one eye on the results flashing by on the TV screen at the front front of the room.

"He is a good man, and I think he really means what he says.”

For Sophie Partridge, her long-standing ties with the Yukon Party are rooted in her belief that it is the party most capable of properly managing the financial affairs of the territory.

"And to me, that is very important, because we all have to be responsible for our spending,” said Partridge, who worked with the Yukon Party government of the late John Ostashek during his tenure as government leader from 1992 to 1996. "I feel they are progressive in their management.”

The party's victory last night, however, did not come without defeat, with the governing party losing three more of its cabinet ministers, on top of the five who did not seek re-election.

Veteran Health Minister Glenn Hart lost his Riverdale South seat to NDP candidate Jan Stick by 66 votes, while Justice Minister Marian Horne was shellacked in Whitehorse Centre by NDP Leader Liz Hanson.

Klondike MLA Steven Nordick, a relative newcomer to cabinet, was defeated by Liberal Sandy Silver, who amassed a 126-vote margin.

"The last three elections, the differential has been less than 70 votes,” said Hart, who arrived at the celebration shortly after learning of his defeat. "Last time, it was 34.

"Jan has a history with city council, and I just think she had a very good team help her get the vote out.”

There was not one issue which decided the Riverdale South, Hart insisted, while going on to thank his constituents for the privilege of serving them over the last nine years.

"It been an honour,” he said. "I hope Ms. Stick can represent Riverdale South with equal value, and I know she will.”

Loud applause greeted MLA-designate Currie Dixon as he entered the room, having just unseated the Liberal leader in Copperbelt North.

The youngest of all 62 candidates was met by hugs and handshakes as he made his way through the room, with the crowd chanting "Currie, Currie, Currie!”

While some may have seen the victory as a surprise, other party supporters were predicting an upset in the riding as far back as a month ago.

For the 26-year-old Dixon, the self-admitted underdog, the numbers were there for the reading.

The demographics had shifted over the last five years, and the riding had become home to more young families, the political science major pointed out.

"It was not the riding that elected Arthur Mitchell in 2006,” Dixon said.

"There are a lot of young families, my crowd, people I play hockey with, people I play ball with, people I went to school with and people starting up new families in the Yukon.

"I knew I had a shot.”

It was Dixon who joked with Pasloski shortly after the premier arrived to the same fervor of joy afforded each and every candidate as they made their way into the hall.

"You should not do that to me, man,” he said, referring to the last poll needed to push the party leader ahead of NDP candidate Stephen Dunbar-Edge. "You gave me a bit of a scare.”

Retiring cabinet minister Archie Lang said at the very beginning of the night his Yukon Party had a shot, a very good shot.

Lang and a handful of others stood alone in the large, empty room shortly before 8:00, with the polls just about to close.

"I feel pretty good,” he said in quiet conversation. "If I were a betting man, I would say the economy will carry the vote tonight.

"I am a great believer in building the economy, and out of that comes all other programs.”

The Yukon Party, said Lang, has done a good job over the last two terms restoring a stable economic base for the territory.

And Pasloski promised to keep it going.

"We spoke about how we were going to move forward, and we are moving forward on the path of prosperity for all of us,” he said in his victory address.

Pasloski said in an interview afterwards while the party has lost three more cabinet ministers, the array of new faces also brings an array of new talent and experience.

MLA-designate Doug Graham of Porter Creek North not only has his experience on city council, but was one of the original Conservative cabinet ministers in 1978, he pointed out.

Pasloski noted Scott Kent, formerly a minister with Pat Duncan's Liberal cabinet from 2000 to 2002, was elected in Riverdale North.

"We'll deliver,” he promised.

Pasloski said the first order of business will be getting more land into the hands of private developers to help ease the housing crunch in the territory and make available more affordable opportunities.

"The Yukon Party government is committed to move the Yukon to a better place for all Yukoners,” he said in his closing remarks to upbeat gathering.

"God bless Yukon. God Bless Canada. Have a great evening.”

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