A long-time NDP organizer now has the party's blessing to put her name on a ballot.

Pam Boyde's victory at Saturday's nomination meeting will pit her against Liberal MP Larry Bagnell in the battle to represent the Yukon in the House of Commons.

'I thought it would be a lot closer than it was,' Boyde said about the vote. She called the first-ballot victory 'very clear'.

Of the 336 ballots cast on Saturday, as well as by fax and mail, Boyde was the first choice for 203, or 60.4 per cent of the voters.

The candidate who was expected to be in a close race with Boyde, veteran unionist Jean-Francois Des Lauriers, scored 107 votes 31.9 per cent of the ballots cast.

Former N.W.T. MP Wally Firth finished third with 25 votes, 7.4 per cent. One ballot was spoiled.

All New Democratic voters were asked to mark their first two choices on the ballot in case no one had more than 50 per cent after the first ballot. But that was not necessary with Boyde's resounding victory.

'We're going to go ahead together, we're going to win this riding back,' Boyde told the gathering of more than 90 New Democrats after her victory was announced.

After winning the vote, Boyde said she and the New Democrats have to start planning right away, even though the election has yet to be called.

'You do start now,' said Boyde, noting everyone has a sense the election call is coming soon.

She said she'll need some time to work on strategy but will be ready to go whenever Prime Minister Paul Martin calls the election.

Boyde already has a sense of the NDP's national platform since she is working on the federal election planning committee. She said it's something she can definitely support.

Boyde is looking forward to going to all the communities to get her party's message out in the quest to put the Yukon seat back under the NDP's orange banner.

'I'm a people person. I'll be out there,' said Boyde.

She said she knows a lot of people throughout the communities through her work with past NDP governments and other endeavours in the 19 years she's lived in the Yukon. She lived in Mayo for some time.

She now lives in the Whitehorse area and operates a wilderness tourism company.

Boyde believes her experience working in Yukon governments, including as the executive assistant to former government leader Piers McDonald, will help in the battle against an incumbent MP.

She will also be telling Yukoners an MP from a party other than the government is needed.

'I truly believe we need a change,' she said.

During the speeches on Saturday afternoon, Boyde and Des Lauriers spent more time slamming the governing Liberals than talking about why they should be chosen to represent the party.

Boyde told the gathering the 10 years of Liberal mismanagement are enough and Canadians deserve better.

She wants to see Ottawa reduce tuition fees and restore the federal funding to education.

Boyde also wants to see Ottawa put more money into health care, dealing with child poverty and protecting the environment.

She carries on a tradition of women candidates for the New Democrats in the Yukon. This will be the seventh straight election or byelection where the NDP is represented by a woman.

Most of that tradition was present with former NDP MP Louise Hardy (1997-2000) and the keynote speaker, Audrey McLaughlin, who was the Yukon's MP from 1987 to 1997. McLaughlin was also the national leader from 1989 to 1995.

Boyde joins Bagnell as the two nominated candidates among the major parties. The Conservatives have yet to set a date for a nomination meeting.