Turnout turnaround needed in school board elections: Dale Kirby

Fewer than one in 40 people in Newfoundland and Labrador voted in the last school board elections. The education minister would like to see a better turnout next week.

"Last time we had school board elections in Newfoundland and Labrador was seven years ago now, and very very low turnout, less than 2.5 per cent of the population," Dale Kirby told CBC this week. "Not a good level of turnout for any sort of an election, so we're hoping to see that improve this time."

Encouraged by candidate turnout

Kirby said he's encouraged by the number of candidates, even if in many cases zone representatives will be acclaimed. Fifty people submitted nominations for 17 zones in the English school district, with 13 coming forward for three zones and at large positionson the French side.

"Elected school district trustees are really fundamental to the whole idea of community and local governance of education, and people can come forward and play an important role in school governance decisions that are made," Kirby said.

Kirby hopes the slight increase in number of candidates is a good sign for improving voter turnout for the election Nov. 22.

Candidates acclaimed in six zones

"If voter turnout is proportionate to the level of interest in terms of candidates, then hopefully we'll see an uptick in the voter turnout compared to the past," said Kirby.

Zones that have only as many candidates as there are positions four on the English side, two on the French will be decided by acclamation. In the case of Zone 1, coastal Labrador, which had no candidates come forward, cabinet will appoint a trustee.

The slate of candidates as listed at www.schoolboardelectionsnl.ca:

English school district

One person will be elected or acclaimed per zone, and in Zone 1, coastal Labrador, a person will be appointed.

Zone 1

• No candidates

Zone 2

• Goronwy Price

Zone 3

• Lester Simmons
• Guy Elliott

Zone 4

• Scott Burden

Zone 5

• Nada Borden
• Bruce Cluney
• Pamela Gill
• Robyn Dillman
• Brian Hudson
• Damien Keating

Zone 6

• Wayne Lee
• Lloyd Mushrow
• Denise Avery

Zone 7

• David Oxford
• Thomas Kendell
• Ross J. Canning
• Terry Green
• Rick Duffy

Zone 8

• John George

Zone 9

• Newman Harris
• Kim Cheeks
• Winston Carter
• Winston Jenkins

Zone 10

• Fred Douglas
• Corey Parsons

Zone 11

• Hilary Primmer

Zone 12

• Milton Peach
• Hayward Blake
• Wade Smith
• Edward Cole

Zone 13

• Eric Snow
• Des Linehan
• Kay Crane
• Kevin Ryan

Zone 14

• Jerry Rice
• Jennifer Aspell

Zone 15

• Ryan J.A. Murphy
• Cyril Hayden
• Kenneth J. Kavanagh
• Keith Culleton
• Matthew Della Valle

Zone 16

• Derek Winsor
• Millicent Hicks
• Jenn Deon
• Patrick Martin
• Peter Whittle

Zone 17

• Margaret Corcoran
• John Smith
• Anne-Marie Sullivan
• Charlene Blake

Conseil scolaire francophone provincial

Two of the French school district's three zones will see their candidates acclaimed. Two others will be elected from Zone 2 and three chosen at large for a total of nine trustees.

Zone 1 (two positions)

• Brian Lee
• Denis Michaud

Zone 2 (two positions)

• Edna Hall
• Jenna Skinner
• Crystal Benoit
• Dillon Ashton Jesso

Zone 3 (two positions)

• Charly Mini
• Martin Richard

At-large (three positions)

• Claudette Chubbs
• Steevens Proulx
• Carole (Maillet) Gillingham
• AndreThoms