On May 8, in a different sort of election, students in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and across the province took to the polls to weigh in on the provincial election.
The process for voting was the same as voters over 18 saw at polling stations in the area.
Students acting as poll workers supervised the election process, checking names off the voting list, directing students to voting booths and double checking votes before they were put into the voting box.
100 Mile House Elementary Grade 6 student Rachel Shaw was checking voter IDs (made by the students) and checking names off the voting list.
“It’s important because if a person comes and says they are someone and we just give them their ballot, they could be taking it from someone else,” she says.
Grade 7 student Nelly Baechmann says she was surprised at how simple the process was.
“I was actually not sure what to expect. I thought it was going to be more complicated but, apparently, it was just checking off a box.”
Results from the Student Votes election were decidedly different from the provincial election.
Across the province, based on the student results, the NDP formed a government with 60 seats, the Greens formed the official opposition with 14 seats and the Liberals came third with 12. One independent candidate was also elected according to the students.
In the Cariboo-Chilcotin, however, students voted Liberal candidate (and newly re-elected MLA) Donna Barnett to the Legislature with 38.84 per cent of the vote, or 590 votes. Green candidate Rita Giesbrecht came second with 31.14 per cent or 473 votes, narrowly defeating NDP candidate Sally Watson who received 30.02 per cent or 456 per cent of votes.
Results, however, differed across schools that participated.
100 Mile House Elementary voted Barnett in with 32.23 per cent or 45 votes, followed by Watson with 32.23 per cent or 39 votes and then Giesbrecht with 30.58 per cent or 37 votes.
Horse Lake Elementary voted Sally Watson in with 50 per cent or 26 votes, followed by Barnett with 30.77 per cent or 16 votes and Giesbrecht with 19.23 per cent or 10 votes.
Mile 108 Elementary came to a tie between Barnett and Giesbrecht with 42.11 per cent or eight votes each followed by Sally Watson with 15.97 per cent or three votes.
Finally, Lac la Hache saw a different result entirely with Giesbrecht taking the win with 86.33 per cent or seven votes, followed by Watson with 25 per cent or three votes and then Barnett with 16.67 per cent or two votes.
Full results from across the province can be found at www.studentvote.ca/results/bc2017.
Students at 100 Mile House Elementary said they had a variety of things they took into consideration when they voted.
“I thought about how it would affect others,” says Grade 7 student Klaudie Slosarkova, adding that she also took how parties would be paying for their platforms into account.
The environment was important to Grade 5 student Ethan Davison, who was also checking the validity of ballots as students voted. “I’m checking to make sure the ballot is not fake so people don’t cheat.”
“I thought who’s going to be the best, who would really matter and do something,” says Grade 5 student Joey Reichelt.
Shaw says that she took the type of person into consideration when she voted.
“My personal opinion is it’s not always what they think, it’s more what they’re like, because I think that has an effect on what they chose to do and how they keep their promises.”
Students say they relied on the internet, as well as news coverage and information from their teachers when deciding who to vote for.
Overall, they say they were happy to weigh in on the election.
“If you don’t want a certain person, you can vote for a person that you do want,” says Grade 5 student Erricka Archie.
Shaw says she’s looking forward to voting for real one day.
“I think it’s important because they give us a choice to vote. Why not take it? You’re voicing your opinion on something and if you want that person to be a leader then you have a choice to do that.”
