thames high school
Clare Poulgrain makes her vote count
Mayoral Candidates Get a Grilling
On Wednesday the 10th of October 2007 two candidates Phillippa Barriball and Dal Minogue were kind enough to join us at Thames High School and speak to the year nine students and their teachers about the local elections on October th e 13th. When the candidates arrived they introduced themselves to the kids. Then two students from each class asked the two candidate's one question each. From the answers the students could then decide on whom to vote for in the ‘kids voting' elections later in the week.
The students were interested in the elections and asked some very good political questions to the two candidates so they had to think long and hard about what they were going to say but didn't hesitate to answer any of them.
Some of the teachers said that the two candidates answered very well but overall Phillippa talked better because she targeted the children more than the teachers and spoke at a level that the children could understand and Dal talked more to the teachers and spoke in a more sophisticated way.
After the questioning the students went to their social studies class and learned about how the voting process worked and then had to follow it. In the class a polling station was set up then the students had to vote one at a time and in secret. Once all classes had voted the votes were counted by appointed election officers.
Phillippa Barriball won the kids voting election with a convincing 78% of the votes. Dal Minogue came in second and Tony Barker came third.
By Tawera Sweeney and Shane Hornby.
Mikaere Morehu and Jarred Green count the votes