Highschool students try out voting

Student Vote Saskatchewan experiences were held all across the province on election day.

According to information provided by Elections SK, after learning about government and democracy, researching the parties and candidates, and discussing the future of the province, students cast ballots in a parallel election.

On Monday, when many in Saskatchewan headed to polling stations to partake in the provincial election, over 100 students at the Estevan Comprehensive School also had an opportunity to learn about the experience ahead of them, as they participated in the project.

Students were invited to vote for the candidates in the Estevan-Big Muddy constituency through a process mimicking real provincial elections.

The results were similar to the real vote. According to ECS, 66 students voted for incumbent Lori Carr with Saskatchewan Party, who indeed had the majority of the votes in the constituency, coming in well ahead of NDP candidate Phil Smith, who was second.

Unlike reality, in the ECS election, Phil Zajac with the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, who was third in the real election, came in second with 17 votes. Third was Smith with 14 votes, followed by Andrew Cey with Saskatchewan United Party (nine) and Billy Patterson with Saskatchewan Green Party (five).

For the entire Estevan-Big Muddy riding, the results were: Carr, Sask. Party – 287 votes (52.18 per cent of popular vote); Zajac, Buffalo Party – 85 votes (15.45 per cent); Smith, Sask. NDP, 76 votes (13.82 per cent); Cey, SUP – 57 votes (10.36 per cent); and Patterson, Sask. Green Party – 45 votes (8.18 per cent).

In schools across the Cannington constituency, students also had a chance to experience elections. The results in the riding were: Daryl Harrison, Sask. Party – 384 votes (54.86 per cent); Dianne Twietmeyer, Sask. NDP – 122 (17.43 per cent); Michelle Krieger, Buffalo Party – 81 votes (11.57 per cent); Barbara Helfrick, SUP – 66 votes (9.43 per cent); and Natalie Lund-Clysdale, Sask. Green Party – 47 (6.71 per cent).

As of 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 28, 38,307 total votes were reported from 348 schools, with results from all 61 constituencies, reported Elections SK. This includes 34,425 valid votes, 1,168 rejected ballots and 2,714 declined ballots. The provincial results showed if students were to choose, the outcomes of the election would have been different.

The Saskatchewan NDP took 39.2 per cent of the popular vote and would have won 31 seats, forming a majority government. Party leader Carla Beck won her Regina Lakeview seat. The Saskatchewan Party came in second to form the Official Opposition with 28 seats and 37.4 per cent of the popular vote. Party leader Scott Moe won his seat in Rosthern-Shellbrook.

The Saskatchewan United Party won two seats in Student Vote and received 8.4 per cent of the popular vote. Party leader Jon Hromek won his seat in Lumsden-Morse. The Saskatchewan Green Party received 10.5 per cent of the popular vote but failed to win a seat.