Students in mock election pick NDP with majority government

WATERLOO REGION — Ontario elementary and high school students voting in a mock provincial election chose Andrea Horwath and the NDP to form a majority government with 66 seats.

Horwath also won Hamilton Centre with 49 per cent of the vote, according to the mock election.

The Progressive Conservatives came in second in the mock election with 45 seats to form the official opposition. Doug Ford won Etobicoke North with 46 per cent of the vote. The Liberals won 11 seats and the Green Party secured two.

Liberal Kathleen Wynne was defeated in Don Valley West by Ontario NDP candidate Amara Possian. Green Leader Mike Schreiner won his Guelph riding.

The NDP got 32 per cent of the total vote, Conservatives 27 per cent, Liberals 19 per cent and Green 13 per cent.

The NDP swept all five ridings in Waterloo Region.

Catherine Fife won re-election in Waterloo, Laura Mae Lindo took Kitchener Centre, Kelly Dick won in KitchenerConestoga, Fitzroy Vanderpool took Kitchener South-Hespeler and Marjorie Knight won in Cambridge.

More than 280,000 elementary and high school students, including thousands from 120 schools in Waterloo Region, voted in the Student Vote program, run by CIVIX.

CIVIX is a national nonprofit that works with elementary and high school teachers to promote civic education among students.

After learning about the electoral process, researching the issues and platforms, and debating the future of Ontario, students voted for the candidates running in their riding. They voted from May 31 to June 6.

As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, 2,166 schools had reported their election results, representing all 124 electoral districts in the province. In total, 280,691 ballots were cast by student participants.

“What makes this even more incredible is the timing,” said Taylor Gunn, president and chief executive of CIVIX.

“This is the busiest time of year for schools with culminating activities, EQAO testing and exams, and more than 6,000 teachers have made Student Vote a priority.”

Participation increased by more than 60 per cent compared to the 2014 Ontario election, which saw students elect a Liberal majority government.