聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Students at the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute and Norquay School were among about 20,000 Saskatchewan students who voted in a mock provincial election on March 23 and 24, but the results will not be published until the polls close in the actual polling date on April 4.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Kamsack and Norquay schools were among the 336 schools, representing all 61 provincial constituencies, participating in the Student Vote Saskatchewan program. Due to the Easter holidays and spring break, the 鈥淪tudent Vote Day鈥� was held early this election cycle.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The full school polling results are to be posted on the Student Vote/CIVIX Canada website at the close of polls on April 4. The Student Vote Day program is a national program designed to acquaint students with the election system.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In preparation for 鈥渧ote day,鈥� CIVIX Canada provided much of the resource materials to allow students to learn about the parties, issues and local candidates, said Dan Allan, the communications manager for Student Vote/CIVIX Canada. Much like the actual polling system, a number of students were assigned to take on the roles of deputy returning officers and poll clerks. Students were tasked to vote for the official candidates in the constituency.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Their vote followed a series of instruction and activities focused on government and elections, he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e also conducted a video question-and-answer session with the party leaders,鈥� said Allan. 鈥淪tudents asked questions on energy, health care, the economy and more to Brad Wall, Cam Broten and the other leaders, and they responded. All the videos can be viewed here: http://studentvote.ca/sk2016/the-leaders.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪tudent Vote enables teachers to bring democracy alive in the classroom, and empowers students to experience the voting process firsthand and practice the habits of informed and active citizenship,鈥� he said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪tudent Vote is the flagship program of CIVIX,鈥� said Allan. 鈥淐IVIX is a national civic education charity building the skills and habits of citizenship among young Canadians. CIVIX has partnered with Elections Saskatchewan to provide the Student Vote program free to schools for the 2016 provincial election.鈥�
