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Student vote almost mirrors electorate vote in Prince Rupert municipal election

If elementary school students in Prince Rupert had their say, Anna Ashley would still have a seat on Prince Rupert city council.

If elementary school students in Prince Rupert had their say, Anna Ashley would still have a seat on Prince Rupert city council.

The inclusion of Ashley is the only difference between how 494 students from Lax Kxeen Elementary and Prince Rupert Middle School voted and how the more than 8,000 eligible voters of Prince Rupert cast their ballots.

In the race for mayor, Lee Brain once again captured a landslide victory among the students, capturing 226 votes for 46 per cent of the popular vote. In the student election, however, Tony Briglio topped incumbent Jack Mussallem with 31 votes compared to 28 votes, while Sheila Gordon-Payne once again finished in the bottom of the pack with 16 votes.

While she may not have won a seat on council, Ashley captured the most votes out of all council candidates with 31, followed by incumbent Joy Thorkelson with 26. Nelson Kinney placed third with 24 votes, followed by Blair Mirau and Wade Niesh with 23 votes apiece and Barry Cunningham with 20 votes.

Ray Pedersen and Gina Garon were left without a seat with 18 votes and Gurvinder Randhawa, who was elected to council, finished at the bottom of the list with 10 votes.