It appears Ruth Massie will remain the chief of the Ta'an Kwach'an Council.

Massie won Monday's election by 27 votes, taking a total of 124 ballots compared to the 97 Bonnie Harpe received.

Gail Anderson was elected deputy chief, taking 130 votes in that battle compared to 65 votes for Barb Hare and 26 for Dianne Graham.

'It's a very sad day for the traditional citizens,' Harpe said in an interview late this morning.

The election was held after a court battle in which Harpe took issue with Massie's appointment as interim chief by the first nation's elders' council.

Yukon Supreme Court Justice Ron Veale upheld the decision of the elders' council and ordered that the election be held.

While Massie had more votes than Harpe, Harpe was quick to point out there was a total of 330 eligible voters.

'Two hundred voted to not have her as our chief,' she said, referring to the 105 ballots that weren't cast.

Yesterday, Harpe said, she travelled to bars, the soup kitchen and even crack houses to get Ta'an members out to vote. Most of the people she visited told her they didn't care who their leader is because things won't change.

'We're in a sad state,' she said, adding it's not only the Ta'an dealing with the issues.

She's already received numerous e-mails from members of the first nation bringing up issues around Monday's vote.

And with a 30-day appeal period, Harpe is waiting to talk to her lawyer on whether she should seek a recount or appeal based on those concerns.

One person has told her a son who lives Outside didn't receive his mail-in ballot.

There are also concerns over the fact her two scrutineers weren't allowed in a room to watch the counting of the out-of-town ballots last night.

'They were very upset,' she said.

Some people were also taken off the voters' list with no explanation as to why they were removed.

'We don't know, and nobody's answering us,' Harpe said.

Another issue from Monday's vote is that a translator wasn't provided for some illiterate voters.

They weren't given a clear idea of who they were voting for, but were told in general where they may know that person from rather than the particular name, she said.

Harpe also took issue with relatives of Massie and Anderson serving on the election committee.

The three traditional family lines of the Ta'an refuse to go back to be part of the first nation's board, she said, arguing that Massie is not part of the traditional Ta'an.

Massie could not be reached for comment this morning.