NUUK, Greenland — Polls opened in Greenland for early parliamentary elections Tuesday as President Donald Trump seeks control of the Arctic island.

The self-governing region of Denmark is home to about 56,000 people, most from Indigenous Inuit backgrounds, and it occupies a crucial North Atlantic location. It also holds rare earth minerals key to driving the global economy.

Unofficial election results should be available soon after polls close Tuesday evening, but they won’t be certified for weeks as ballot papers make their way to the capital from remote settlements by boat, plane and helicopter.

While the island has been on a path toward independence since at least 2009, a break from Denmark isn’t on the ballot — even though it’s on everyone’s mind in the run-up to voters electing the 31 lawmakers who will shape the island’s future.

The mood was festive Tuesday at the sole polling station in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital city, as election workers opened the doors to cheers.

Opinion polls show most Greenlanders favor independence. Most say they don’t dislike Americans, pointing to the good relations they have with the local Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Force Base, where U.S. military personnel have been stationed since 1951.

Even some of Trump’s biggest fans cling to the principle that they should control their destiny: Their mantra is that Greenland is open for business, but not for sale.

“The situation has changed because of Trump and because of the world,” said Doris Jensen, representative of the social democratic Siumut party who said she has favors independence. “So we have decided in our party that we have to do (it) more quickly.”

Trump’s attention has transformed the local process of democracy. Suddenly, the presence of journalists from as far away as Japan are reminders that these are far from normal times.

Voter Sofia Rossen had a message for Trump: “Stop talking about Greenland. Stop,” she said in the polling station in Nuuk.

The island and the U.S. previously had a positive relationship, but that doesn’t mean they want to be part of the United States, she said.

“We are not for sale. We are not American, we won’t be Americans. We are not (Danes), but we are part of the Danish community,” she said.

Pipaluk Lynge, a member of parliament from the ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit, or United Inuit party, said: “I think most of us have been scared since the new year because of (Trump’s) interest, so we’re really looking to Europe right now to see if we could establish a stronger bond with them to secure our sovereign nation.”

After one of the final televised debates in Nuuk, Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede was greeted by about 75 supporters who were almost outnumbered by photographers and camera operators.

“All these reporters are frightening to us,” said Aviaja Sinkbaek, who works at the school. “It means that something must be happening soon.”