Durham District School Board
400 Taunton Road East
Whitby, Ontario L1R 2K6
Ph: 905-666-5500
1-800-265-3968
TTY: 905-666-6943
Fax: 905-666-6474
www.ddsb.ca
MEMO TO:
All Secondary Principals, Secondary Vice Principals, Student Council Staff Advisors
FROM:
Lisa Millar, Mark Fisher, Karla Torrente
RE:
Student Trustee Election Process
DATE:
January 17, 2017
The revision of Bill 78, An Act to amend the Education Act, included changes to the role of Student
Trustees on School Boards. In keeping with the changes to the Act, the Board has revised By-Law
#14 Student Trustees on the Durham District School Board. All secondary schools are encouraged to
nominate a candidate. The By-Law is posted on our policies database, for your reference.
Among the updates to By-Law 14, is the method by which student trustees are elected. In particular,
the student body must now elect student trustees. The specific reference in the revised By-Law is
included below:
2.0
ELECTION OF STUDENT TRUSTEES
2.1
Every attempt shall be made to elect a Student Trustee from Ajax-Pickering, Oshawa-Whitby,
and Brock-Scugog-Uxbridge. The election of the Student Trustees shall be a two-stage process
in municipalities which have more than one secondary school.
A notice shall be sent to each secondary school principal before February 1, 2017 advising of
the election process. Notice will also be sent to teachers in Civics classes, with a request to
discuss the election process in class.
2.2
Stage 1: Municipal election of candidates are only held in municipalities which have more than
one secondary school.
Each secondary school student council or parliament shall be invited to elect one Student
Trustee nominee who shall be the candidate for the municipality. The notice shall also invite
each secondary school student council or parliament to elect ten (10) Student Trustee electors.
The elections for either Student Trustee nominees or electors may be either a direct election
from the entire student body or an indirect election from the student council or parliament. The
elections for the electors shall take place at the same time or prior to the elections for Student
Trustee nominees.
The municipal elections shall be moved annually among the secondary schools in the
municipality so that all secondary schools have an opportunity to host the election. (End of
February or early March)
Schedule for the 2017 Stage 1 Election of Student Trustees (Each school has 10 votes)
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 Pickering Area Schools
Thursday, March 2, 2017, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Pine Ridge S.S.
 Ajax Area Schools
Thursday, March 2, 2017, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Ajax H.S.
 Whitby Area Schools
Wednesday, March 1, 2017, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Henry Street H.S.
 Oshawa Area Schools
Wednesday, March 1, 2017, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Maxwell Height S.S.
Voting shall be by secret ballot. Only Student Trustee nominee electors are entitled to vote.
In each municipality, the candidate receiving a clear majority shall be declared the municipal
Student Trustee candidate for the stage two electoral college which is to be held in April. A
clear majority is 50 per cent plus one of the total votes cast, the name of the candidate with the
smallest number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot and a further vote shall be conducted
until one candidate has a clear majority.
2.3
Stage 2: Electoral College Process (April)
The Director of Education or designate shall cause three electoral colleges to take place in a
secondary school in Ajax-Pickering, Oshawa-Whitby and Brock-Scugog-Uxbridge. The three
electoral colleges will meet before April 30 in each school year. The Board will pay for any
transportation or other expenses such as food or the printing of ballots.
Each municipality in the electoral college will receive 40 votes for the election. The votes shall
be divided equally among the number of schools in an area. If the division of votes is such that
a whole number of votes is not determined, additional votes shall be apportioned by lottery
through the Director of Education or designate. The secondary school student council or
parliament shall elect the assigned number of electors for the elector college.
The function of each Electoral College is to elect one Student Trustee.
Each Electoral College will have an appropriate number of staff advisors to help conduct the
Student Trustee nominees’ speeches and the balloting.
The winning candidate in Stage 1 (Section 2.2 above) shall be the municipal candidate for the
Stage 2 Electoral College.
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Stage 2: Area Election (April) – Each municipality has 40 votes.
STAGE 2
ELECTIONS
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
PICKERING AREA
Host School: Pickering H.S.
AJAX AREA
Dunbarton H.S.
20 votes
Ajax H.S.
13 votes
Pine Ridge S.S.
20 votes
J. Clarke Richardson
13 votes
40 votes
Pickering H.S.
13 votes
39 votes
+1 Lottery vote
80 VOTING DELEGATE
40 votes
Monday, April 10, 2017
WHITBY AREA
Host School: G.L. Roberts C.V.I.
OSHAWA AREA
Anderson C.V.I.
8 votes
Eastdale C.V.I.
8 votes
Brooklin H.S.
8 votes
Maxwell Heights S.S.
8 votes
Donald A. Wilson S.S.
8 votes
O’Neill C.V.I.
8 votes
Henry Street H.S.
8 votes
G.L. Roberts C.V.I.
8 votes
Sinclair S.S.
8 votes
R.S. McLaughlin C.V.I.
8 votes
40 votes
40 votes
80 VOTING DELEGATE
Note: Since there is only one school in each of the northern municipalities there will only be one
election in April for candidates from Brock H.S., Port Perry H.S. and Uxbridge S.S. (10 votes for
each secondary school)
Voting shall be by secret ballot. Only student trustee nominee electors are entitled to vote.
In each electoral college, the Student Trustee nominee receiving a clear majority shall be declared
elected. A clear majority is 50 per cent plus one of the total votes cast.
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The newly elected student trustees are eligible to attend the Ontario Student Trustee Association’s
conference in May 2017 (dates to be advised as soon as available). On this note, please notify
interested student trustee candidates of this conference opportunity, if they should be one of the three
successful people.
All Candidates Election Process Information Session
On Tuesday, February 7, 2017, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Leadership Department will host
an information session. This session is for all candidates to help them prepare for the upcoming
stage 1 and stage 2 elections. There will be an overview of the election process and what is expected
of each candidate, followed by a Q&A session. Our current Student Trustees will be in attendance.
Schedule for the 2017 Stage 2 Election of Student Trustees

Oshawa, Whitby
Monday, April 10, 2017, 9:30 am to 11:30 at G.L. Roberts C.V.I.

Ajax, Pickering
Tuesday, April 11, 2017, 9:30 am to 11:30 at Pickering H.S.

Brock, Uxbridge, Scugog
Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 9:30 am to 11:30 at Brock H.S.
Please note, we are estimating the amount of time required for both Stage 1 & 2 elections.
Administrative Details
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Transportation will be paid for, if required. Please submit bills to Kim Cox, Administrative
Assistant to the Board of Trustees, first floor, Education Centre.
Supply coverage will be provided for one staff advisor for each school participating in the area
elections. A supply code will be sent prior to the election date.
Lunch is not provided in stage 1 elections (9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
Lunch will be provided for students and staff in stage 2 elections (9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.)
Individual School Election Details
Every secondary school is encouraged to send one (1) candidate for the election of its area student
trustee for their municipality election.
According to the By-Law, each school can send ten (10) electors to participate in stage 1 elections.
Schools can send ten electors regardless of whether or not they have a candidate running for student
trustee.
According to the By-Law, Section 2.2
The elections in section 2.2 for either Student Trustee nominees or electors may be either a
direct election from the entire student body or an indirect election from the student council or
parliament. The elections for the electors shall take place at the same time or prior to the
elections for Student Trustee nominees.
Therefore, each school shall decide the process for selecting their student trustee candidate and the
ten electors to participate in the electoral colleges. It is suggested that the principal, in concert with
student council / student activity committee determine the process of selecting the ten members of
the Electoral College.
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Format of Stage 1 and Stage 2 Elections
Round 1: Each student trustee candidate will address the Electoral College for five (5) minutes
maximum. The address can take the form of a speech and/or presentation. Candidates are
permitted to bring only those promotional materials approved by their school’s staff advisor and/or
principal. Audio-visual materials will be permitted. At the conclusion of their presentation each
candidate will answer questions from the audience.
Round 2 (if needed): Each student trustee candidate will address the Electoral College for three (3)
minutes maximum. The address will take the form of a speech only. At the conclusion of all of the
candidate speeches the audience will ask questions and each candidate will answer.
Round 3 (if needed): Each student trustee candidate will answer questions from the Election
Facilitator.
The successful student trustee candidate for each area Electoral College will be determined when
one candidate achieves 50 per cent plus one of the total votes cast.
According to the By-Law, Section 2.2
In each municipality, the candidate receiving a clear majority shall be declared the municipal
Student Trustee for the stage two electoral college which is to be held in April. A clear majority
is 50 per cent plus one of the total votes cast, the name of the candidate with the smallest
number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot and a further vote shall be conducted until one
candidate has a clear majority.
Deadlines
Stage 1 Election Deadline: Please submit the name of your school’s student trustee candidate, if
applicable, and a list of the ten electors who will attend your area meeting to Dorothy Leaver by
email [email protected] by Friday, February 10, 2017.
Stage 2 Election Deadline: Please submit the names of your voting electors who will attend your
area meeting to Dorothy Leaver by email [email protected] by Tuesday March 21, 2017.
(Refer to page 3 to see the number of voters representing your school for stage 2 elections.)
You can find the complete By-Law on the DDSB website at www.ddsb.ca under the Students tab and
then Student Senate tab. If you have any questions about the process, please contact Karla
Torrente, Education Officer by email [email protected] or at 905-666-6928. Please ensure
each candidate has a copy of this memo and the By-Law.
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