FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. - Voters across Northeast B.C. have elected school trustees who will help oversee public education in the region for the next four years.
Saturday’s local elections included contested races for School District 59 Peace River South, School District 60 Peace River North and School District 81 in the Northern Rockies. Several other trustees won their seats by acclamation.
The results mean changes on some boards, including in Dawson Creek, where incumbent Angelina Schurmann was defeated, and Tumbler Ridge, where incumbent Roxanne Gulick held onto her seat.
School District 59 Peace River South
In School District 59 Peace River South, voters went to the polls in three trustee electoral areas, while both positions representing Chetwynd and the surrounding rural area were filled by acclamation.
Dawson Creek - Area III
Two trustees were elected to represent Dawson Creek.
| Candidate | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Christina Wards (incumbent) | 1,492 | ELECTED |
| Deanna Sudnik | 1,417 | ELECTED |
| Angelina Schurmann (incumbent) | 1,178 | Not elected |
Incumbent Christina Wards led the trustee vote with 1,492 ballots, while Deanna Sudnik took the second seat with 1,417. Incumbent Angelina Schurmann finished third with 1,178 votes and was defeated.
Tumbler Ridge - Area II
One trustee position was available in Tumbler Ridge.
| Candidate | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Roxanne Gulick (incumbent) | 198 | ELECTED |
| Sherry Berringer | 155 | Not elected |
| Ron Hofman | 144 | Not elected |
Incumbent Roxanne Gulick retained the Tumbler Ridge seat with 198 votes. Sherry Berringer received 155 votes, while Ron Hofman finished with 144.
Rural Dawson Creek and Pouce Coupe - Area IV
Two trustees were elected in the area surrounding Dawson Creek, including Pouce Coupe.
| Candidate | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Kurjata | 328 | ELECTED |
| Chad Anderson (incumbent) | 275 | ELECTED |
| Travis Jones (incumbent) | 266 | Not elected |
Kevin Kurjata topped the race with 328 votes. Incumbent Chad Anderson retained his seat with 275, while fellow incumbent Travis Jones fell nine votes short with 266.
Chetwynd - Area I
There was no vote required for the two Chetwynd and surrounding rural-area seats.
| Candidate | Result |
|---|---|
| Trisha MacTavish | ACCLAIMED |
| Darren Shankel | ACCLAIMED |
Trisha MacTavish and Darren Shankel were elected by acclamation.
School District 60 Peace River North
There will also be a mix of returning and new representation on the School District 60 Peace River North board.
Preliminary results show Helen Gilbert, William Snow and Wallace Miedema were elected to the three available positions in Trustee Electoral Area 5, which includes Fort St. John and surrounding areas.
Fort St. John area - Trustee Electoral Area 5
| Candidate | Result |
|---|---|
| Helen Gilbert | ELECTED |
| William (Bill) Snow | ELECTED |
| Wallace Miedema | ELECTED |
| Terence O’Byrne | Not elected |
The district’s preliminary declaration confirms Gilbert, Snow and Miedema as the three successful candidates.
Four other seats on the seven-member board had already been decided before election day.
SD60 trustees elected by acclamation
| Trustee | Area | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Madeleine Lehmann | 1 | ACCLAIMED |
| David Scott-Moncrieff | 2 | ACCLAIMED |
| Nicole Gilliss | 3 | ACCLAIMED |
| Ida Campbell | 4 | ACCLAIMED |
All four were returned without a vote.
The school-board results across the region remain preliminary or unofficial until they are formally determined by the respective chief election officers.