Abbotsford students ‘elected’ the NDP’s Dharmasena Yakandawela in the Student Vote program. (Submitted)

Abbotsford students ‘elect’ NDP’s Dharmasena Yakandawela

Student Vote Canada sees NDP candidate edge out Conservative Ed Fast by two votes

Abbotsford students have spoken, and in the Student Vote Canada program local high school, middle school and elementary school students ‘elected’ the NDP’s Dharmasena Yakandawela.

A total of 18 schools in Abbotsford participated in the event, with Yakandawela edging out Conservative Ed Fast 806-804.

Liberal Navreen Gill finished third with 640 votes, the Green Party’s Stephen Fowler placed fourth with 336 and People’s Party of Canada candidate Kevin Sinclair was fifth with 166.

The local schools submitting votes included: Abbotsford Christian School – Middle Campus, Abbotsford Middle School, ASIA – Sumas Mountain, Abbotsford Senior, Abbotsford Traditional Middle, Clayburn Middle School, CG Howe Middle School, Credo Christian High School, Dasmesh Punjabi School, Dormick Park Elementary, Godson Elementary, Jackson Elementary, Margaret Stenersen Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Robert Bateman Secondary, St. John Brebeuf Regional Secondary, West Coast Adventist School DL and 4th Abbotsford Brownies.

RELATED: Ed Fast scores another big win in Abbotsford

Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon students elected Liberal Geet Grewal and Langley-Aldergrove students chose the NDP’s Michael Chang.

The overall national student vote results saw the Liberal Party collect 118 seats, the NDP earn 106, Conservatives win 88 seats, the Bloc Quebecois collect 21 seats and the Green Party receive three seats.https://studentvote.ca/canada/

The popular vote count nationally saw the NDP lead the way with 220,636, Conservatives with 194,554, Liberals with 186,173, Greens with 75,860, PPC with 51,370, BQ with 15,957, Independents with 5,859 and the Maverick Party with 5,027. A number of other parties received 5,000 votes or less.

According to the Student Vote website, it is a learning program that provides students with the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice the habits of active and informed citizenship. The program is presented in collaboration with Elections Canada.

For more information on the vote, visit studentvote.ca/canada.

Abbotsford News