Lack of information spells low turnout in N.L. school board elections, says NDP

An astonishing number of people in Newfoundland and Labrador aren't aware of the upcoming school board elections, says NDP education critic Lorraine Michael.

"I keep talking to people who don't even know the election is Tuesday," Michael told CBC Radio'sOn The Go.

• Find your candidates: School Board Elections NL 2016

The elections on Nov. 22 are open to the entire province, but Michael said poor promotion and little available information will doom the vote to a poor turnout on Tuesday which she said will cause headaches for the eventual winners.

"For parents or anybody who's attached to a school system they have received emails, for example. But the school board elections are for everybody who is eligible to vote in the province."

Michael said Friday the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District website is "terrible," and "very, very confusing."

With information put out "piece meal," Michael saidit's hard to find out what zone you're in let alonewho the candidates are, or any details about them.

The chicken or the egg?

Only 2.5 per cent of eligible voters about one in 40 turned out for the last running of school board elections in the province in 2009, according to Education Minister Dale Kirby.

Kirby told CBC News this week that he wanted to see that number increase.

• Turnout turnaround needed in school board elections: Dale Kirby

But Michael said low turnout was due to the fact that the vote was not and is not properly promoted.

"It's not given the importance of, say, a municipal election or a provincial election," she said.

The NDP critic said a poor turnout for thevoteTuesday will cloud the winners who become school board trustees.

"It will be extra pressure and stress on them to prove themselves that they are a good board, that they are listening to the people and that they are going to represent the people."

Michael saidthe solution is forthe two school boards in the province one French, one English to be given more resources and expertise to advertise and promote their elections, something she'd like to see for the next election.

The provincial government promised to hold the elections in part due to criticism from parents about trustees who were appointed by a previous government.

• School board elections set for Nov. 22, Dale Kirby announces

Find your candidates

English school district

• Find your zone

One person will be elected or acclaimed per zone, and in Zone 1 incoastal 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

• Find your zone

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