The results from this year’s municipal election in Quesnel would have been much different according to elementary, junior and open-learning students in the Quesnel School District.
Leading up to general voting day on Saturday, Oct. 15, students cast their own ballots for official candidates through Student Vote.
More than 60,000 students from schools across B.C. were able to participate in the hands-on learning program empowering students to experience the voting process and cast ballots for official candidates running in this year’s civic elections for mayor, councillor and school trustee.
On Saturday, Oct. 15, eligible voters selected their choices, with unofficial results showing longtime city councillor Ron Paull beating incumbent mayor Bob Simpson with 1,179 votes to 969. Elected councillors include incumbents Scott Elliott, Mitch Vik, Laurey-Anne Roodenburg, Tony Goulet and Martin Runge, and political newcomer Debra McKelvie.
Students, however, at Bouchie Lake Elementary School, Kersley Elementary School, Kleos Open Learning, Quesnel Junior School and Red Bluff Elementary would have re-elected Simpson as mayor with 153 votes and Paull in second with 130 votes.
As for councillors former ?Esdilagh First Nation councillor Chad Stump, Elliott, Goulet, and rookies Michael Duperron, Joe Lowndes and McKelvie would have been victorious.
Results also would have been different for School District 28 trustees with students under the voting age picking Cory Delves, David Chapman, Heidi Tims, Honey Affleck, Katie Bowell, Lisa Boudreau and Tony Goulet.
Preliminary election results list Boudreau, Affleck, Melissa Huska and Cheri Maisonneuve with incumbents Goulet, Chapman and Julie-Anne Runge elected trustees by eligible voters.
The Quesnel School District and the City of Quesnel said official election results will be determined before 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Read More: Fourth time lucky for newly elected Quesnel mayor Ron Paull
Read More: Quesnel School District trustee table is a blend
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: rebecca.dyok@quesnelobserver.com
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