Incumbent John Horgan and the BC NDP win a majority government, at least according to a province-wide Student Vote.
More than 700 elementary, middle and high schools participated in the Student Vote program for the 2020 British Columbia provincial election.
In Vernon-Monashee, NDP candidate Harwinder Sandhu was the winner of the Student Vote, garnering 113 votes, four more than Keli Westgate of the Green Party. Three-term incumbent Eric Foster of the Liberals was third with 85 votes and Kyle Delfing of the Conservatives garnered 82 ballots.
Schools that took part included Alexis Park, Beairsto, Hillview, Kidston, Mission Hill and Okanagan Landing elementary schools, Vernon Secondary School, Vernon Christian School, St. James School and Ebus Academy.
There was a tie in the Shuswap riding.
Incumbent Liberal MLA Greg Kyllo and Sylvia Lindgren tied with 337 votes each. Green candidate Owen Madden was third with 308 votes.
Schools that took part included Armstrong and Highland Park elementary schools from Armstrong, Falkland Elementary, M.V. Beattie and A.L. Fortune Secondary of Enderby, three elementary schools, two middle schools and one secondary school from Salmon Arm and one elementary school from Sicamous.
After learning about government and the election process, researching the parties and platforms, and debating the future of British Columbia, students cast ballots for the official candidates running in their school’s electoral district.
CIVIX delivered the program in partnership with Elections BC. This was the sixth provincial Student Vote organized to date.
Based on current tallies, more than 85,000 students cast ballots, representing all 87 electoral districts in the province.
Students elected John Horgan and the BC NDP to form a majority government with 59 out of 87 seats and 40 per cent of the vote. Horgan also won in the electoral district of Langford—Juan de Fuca with 52 per cent of the vote.
Sonia Furstenau and the BC Green Party took 16 seats and will form the official opposition, receiving 28 per cent of the popular vote. Furstenau also won in the electoral district of Cowichan Valley with 49 per cent of the vote.
Andrew Wilkinson and the BC Liberal Party won 12 seats and received 25 per cent of the vote. Wilkinson also won in the electoral district of Vancouver-Quilchena with 39 per cent of the vote.
Trevor Bolin and the Conservative Party of BC won one seat. Bolin won in the electoral district of Peace River North with 42 per cent of the vote.
The Christian Heritage Party of BC won one seat. Rod Taylor was elected in the Stikine electoral district with 41 per cent of the vote.
READ MORE: LIVE: Results roll in for Vernon-Monashee
READ MORE: VIDEO: British Columbians vote for province’s next leadership in 2020 election
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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