The orange wave swept across the federal riding of Newmarket-Aurora as elementary and secondary school students at 31 local schools elected New Democratic Party candidate Yvonne Kelly as its member of Parliament in the Student Vote Canada 2019 initiative that coincides with the 2019 federal election.
Kelly, who participated in an Oct. 3 student-run, all-candidates town hall at Newmarket's private school Pickering College, along with challengers Conservative Lois Brown, Liberal Tony Van Bynen, and the Green’s Walter Bauer, claimed 668 votes for 24.4 per cent of the popular vote.
Brown came in a close second with 640 votes, or 23.4 per cent, followed by Van Bynen with 635 votes, or 23.2 per cent of the popular vote, and Bauer with 531 votes, or 19.4 per cent.
In addition, the 2,739 local participating students all cast ballots for People’s Party candidate Andrew McCaughtrie (100 votes), the Rhinoceros Party’s Laurie Goble (98 votes), and Progressive Canadian Dorian Baxter (67 votes).
“We are thrilled with the turnout for Student Vote Canada 2019,” said Taylor Gunn, president and CEO of CIVIX Canada in an Oct. 21 statement. “We are grateful for all the teachers that dedicated time and energy to cultivating the next generation of voters.”
“Elections Canada is proud to have helped make Student Vote Canada 2019 possible,” Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Stéphane Perrault added. “This program is one of the ways we educate future voters and help raise active citizens.”
In total, more than 1.1 million elementary and secondary school students participated nationally in Student Vote Canada 2019.
After learning about the electoral process, researching the parties and platforms, and debating Canada’s future, students cast their ballots for the official candidates running in their school’s riding.
As of 5 p.m. ET today, 1,167,110 votes were reported from 7,747 schools across the country, with results from 338 federal ridings.
Check back here at 10 p.m. tonight for the national results of the student vote.
