Alberta Student Vote 2023 reveals NDP victory

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As adults voted in the 2023 Alberta Provincial Election Alberta, students also took part in a mock vote. 

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The Student Vote Alberta coincided with the provincial election to determine which party and candidates Alberta students would vote for if they were eligible to cast their ballots. 

“Student Vote is an authentic learning program that provides students with the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice the habits of active and informed citizenship,” the program explained online.

With 170,079 elementary and high school students casting their ballots from 1,097 schools in all 87 electoral divisions, the results showed the NDP would form a majority government with 42.1 per cent of the popular vote and 47 seats. 

If it were up to students, the UCP would have formed the official opposition with 39 seats and 40.4 per cent of the popular vote. 

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Both Danielle Smith (Brooks-Medicine Hat) and Rachel Notley (Edmonton-Strathcona) won their seats in the student vote.

The Green Party received 6.6 per cent of the popular vote and the Alberta Party secured 2.3 per cent, the same amount as the Solidarity Movement of Alberta. Interestingly, independent candidate Funky Banjoko was elected in Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo. 

Local schools eerily mirror local results

In Sherwood Park, NDP Kyle Kasawski won his seat in both the official election and student vote, with students casting their support behind him with 49.9 per cent or 1,204 votes. UCP Jordan Walker placed second with 35.5 per cent or 853 votes. Alberta Liberal Party candidate Jacob Stacey took 7.67 per cent or 185 votes, and Alberta Party candidate Sue Timanson took 7.09 per cent or 171 votes. 

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In Strathcona-Sherwood Park, the results also reflected the official election with UCP incumbent Nate Glubish winning the seat for a second term with 54.42 per cent of the popular vote or 727 votes among students. NDP Bill Tonita placed second with 38.02 per cent and independent Jody Balanko took third with 7.56 per cent with 101 votes. 

In Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, UCP incumbent Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk also came out on top with 44.2 per cent of the vote or 598 votes. Rudyk came in second again, this time with 36.14 per cent or 489 votes. The student vote results showed Fleet taking third with 7.46 per cent or 101 votes, Mackay taking fourth with 6.80 per cent or 92 votes and Zeleny taking fifth with 5.40 per cent or 73 votes. 

Student Vote is a program of CIVIX, which is a non-partisan registered Canadian charity that is dedicated to strengthening democracy through civic education by focusing on elections, budgets, elected representatives and digital media literacy. 

Student Vote Alberta 2023 was possible thanks to collaboration with Elections Alberta, the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Government of Alberta. 

You can find out more at studentvote.ca.

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