Students across Canada elected a Liberal minority government in a mock election held last week.
Student Vote is a Canada-wide program that provides students under the age of 18 with the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand.
READ MORE: Canadians begin to cast ballots after divisive campaign, and amid tight polls
The program is funded through CIVIX, a non-partisan, national registered charity. On their website, it states that its vision is to have a strong and inclusive democracy where all young people are ready, willing and able to participate. It is also organized with the help of Elections Canada.
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| For the Kootenay – Columbia riding, Wayne Stetski from the NDP was re-elected with 32 per cent of the vote. Jocelyn Doll/Revelstoke Review) |
From Oct. 15 to 18, more than 1.1 million students cast ballots for local candidates in their school’s riding. CIVIX reported that 7,747 schools took part, with results from all 338 federal ridings.
The mock election results were on embargo until polls across the country closed today.
READ MORE: Revelstoke elementary students cast votes in mock election
For the Kootenay – Columbia riding, Wayne Stetski from the NDP was re-elected with 32 per cent of the vote, the Green Party came second with 24 per cent and Conservatives third with 23 per cent.
READ MORE: Spotlight on B.C.: 12 races to watch on Election Day
Dan Allan, from CIVIX said the project is important for getting youth interested in voting.
“To get them excited about politics.”
For when they turn 18-years-old and an election is called, said Allan, hopefully they will head to a polling stations.
While voter turnout for the federal election was just below 69 per cent in 2015, which was the highest since 1993, overall people voting has been declining since the 1980s. The lowest turnout since 1867 was in 2008 at 59 per cent.
As mentioned for the 2013 Student Vote, the Liberals won a minority with 109 seats and 22 per cent of the popular vote. Justin Trudeau won his riding of Papineau, Quebec. The NDP will form the official opposition with 98 seats and 24.8 per cent of the popular vote. The Conservatives won 94 seats and won 25 per cent of votes. The Green Party got 28 seats and 18.2 per cent of votes.
Compared with Student Votes 2015, a Liberal majority was elected, which was similar to the actual election.
This mock election in B.C., more than 200,00 students took part and elected 24 NDP MPs, 10 Conservatives and eight Greens.
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