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Newly elected Abbotsford school board includes three new faces

There were 13 people vying for seven seats on the board of education
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Abbotsford school trustee candidate Freddy Latham speaks with someone while waiting for the election results to come in on Saturday, Oct. 15. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

A new Abbotsford board of education has been voted in.

Many of the candidates, their friends and family watched the results come in together at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium. The city-owned venue is commonly used for this purpose.

“This is my first election without one of my children here with me,” Shirley Wilson said. The long-time Abbotsford school trustee’s son Jacob died recently, and she spoke out on Overdose Awareness Day about the loss. She attended the auditorium event with her husband, Larry and said her family has been supporting her trustee work for the last 17 years.

“I’m feeling pleased with the results,” she said. “This is my sixth term and I’m feeling really humbled and honoured to serve again. It’s hard work we do, and it’s important work.”

She said she was disappointed in the voter turnout, which was quite low at 25.15 per cent. She thanked all of the candidates for putting their names forward, as “it takes courage.”

“I have to thank my husband, and my daughter, Maddi. But this time it’s for my son,” she said.

Re-elected are Preet Rai, Korky Neufeld, Shirley Wilson and Stan Petersen.

New trustees are Mike Rauch, Jared White and Rupi Kanda-Rajwan. Rauch and White ran under a banner called Abbotsford Partners in Education.

Rauch spoke with The News as the final numbers were released, and wanted to thank his supporters and fellow candidates.

“I talked to a lot of people and it was really fun engaging with the community,” he said. “I’d really like to thank the people who came out and supported us.”

His running mate White watched the results from home, and the two were texting back and forth through the evening.

Rauch said he’s eager to get to work, and is looking forward to helping create “positive and conducive” working environment at the board table.

“And I think it’s worth saying that we should thank all the candidates who weren’t successful, for their hard work,” he added.

There were 13 candidates in the running for the seven seats at the board of the education. Two incumbent trustees were not elected, Freddy Latham and Phil Anderson. Others who ran were Shannon Rose, Earl Storey, Katherine Cyr and Graham MacDonell.

This is a developing story based on unofficial results. Watch for official numbers in the days to come.

READ MORE: Election night: Live in Abbotsford

READ MORE: Candidate list for Abbotsford school board election comprises 13 names


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Incumbent Abbotsford school board trustees Shirley Wilson and Stan Petersen shake hands before the results started rolling in. Both were re-elected Saturday night. (Jessica Peters/Abbotsford News)


Jessica Peters

About the Author: Jessica Peters

I began my career in 1999, covering communities across the Fraser Valley ever since.
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