Jo-Ann Waugh, a former Chief Electoral Officer of Yukon, has passed away. Over the course of a long and successful career, Jo-Ann Waugh was involved in Yukon elections for 35 years, retiring as the Chief Electoral Officer in 2013.
In 1978, Ms. Waugh served as a returning officer in the electoral district of Whitehorse Riverdale South. In 1983, Ms. Waugh was appointed as the Assistant Chief Electoral Officer, and in 2007 she became the Yukon’s first full time Chief Electoral Officer. In fact, she was involved in every Yukon general election and by-election held since the introduction of party politics in 1978, through to her retirement: a total of ten general elections, and eleven by-elections.
Ms. Waugh had a prominent profile among her peers, nationally and internationally. As Chief Electoral Officer, she was a member of the Conference of Canadian Election Officials.
Ms. Waugh’s standing among her peers was such that she was called upon to participate and represent Canada in several international election observation missions. She travelled to countries as diverse as Peru, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Namibia, Russia, and Zimbabwe helping — as well as an election observer can — to ensure that people in those developing democracies had access to the kind of fair elections that we take for granted in Yukon and in Canada.
On behalf of all members of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, I wish to extend condolences to the Waugh family and to Jo-Ann’s many friends, at this difficult time.
Hon. Jeremy Harper
Speaker, Yukon Legislative Assembly