A teenager just out of high school is going to run in the B.C. upcoming provincial election.
The BC Greens have announced that 17-year-old Kate O’Connor will be their candidate for the Saanich South riding in the upcoming provincial election. O’Connor is a climate advocate, who graduated high school only a few months ago.
“I represent a generation of young people whose voices are too often ignored and who are now demanding our future is protected, so we can pass on a safe planet to our kids,” O’Connor said in a press release. “I’ve been overwhelmed by the excitement and support pouring in for the campaign, especially from young people wanting to volunteer.”
Elections BC rules require all candidates to be 18 on the general voting day and O’Connor will turn 18 a few days beforehand.
She will be up against the NDP’s Lana Popham, the province’s minister of agriculture, who has held the Saanich South riding since 2009.
Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau said O’Connor will be an incredible representative for the riding, should she win.
“This young woman has everything that she needs to be an incredibly representative for her community and importantly for her demographic. For young people who are terribly underrepresented in our elected governments,” said Furstenau on Thursday.
Officially the candidate in Saanich South! ???
At 17, looks like I’ll be the youngest candidate.
Youth have been leading a climate movement driving real change around the world, and now we’re headed to the houses of power.
Join my campaign! https://t.co/zlLFM21Mkw #bcpoli
— Kate O’Connor (she/her) (@katenoconnor1) September 30, 2020
Visit our 2020 BC Election Candidates page to see a list of candidates running in the provincial election.
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