STUDENTS in the Skeena riding selected New Democrat Robin Austin as the winner when they cast ballots May 13 and, surprisingly, chose BC Conservative Mike Brousseau to be their second place finisher.
BC Liberal Carol Leclerc placed third among student voters.
In all 648 votes were cast in middle and secondary schools in Kitimat, Terrace and the Nass Valley.
The school votes were part of a province wide effort called Student Vote: a parallel election program coinciding with the British Columbia provincial election.
After learning about the democratic process, researching the party platforms, hosting candidate forums and debating the future of British Columbia, students cast their ballots for local candidates.
Austin received 362 votes or just under 56 per cent of ballots cast. Brousseau received 153 votes or just under 24 per cent and Leclerc received 101 votes or just under 16 per cent.
Trevor Hendry of the British Columbia Party received 32 votes or just under 5 per cent.
At Caledonia Secondary School in Terrace, Austin received 72 votes of 117 cast, Leclerc received 24 votes, Brousseau 15 votes and Hendry 6 votes.
At Skeena Middle School of 96 votes cast, Austin received 42, Leclerc 31, Brousseau 10 and Hendry 13.
Totals across the province had the NDP winning 53 seats, the Liberals 20 seats and the Greens eight while four Independents were elected.