Rosey Manhas is Coquitlam’s newest trustee for School District 43.
Manhas won a special byelection held Saturday, Feb. 22, with 696 votes. That's more that four times the 149 votes received by her nearest rival, Frank Do, according to preliminary results posted late Saturday night. Dana Ebtekar was third, with 142 votes, Candace Knoll had 137 votes and Nash Milani received 45 votes.
Official results will be released Monday, Feb. 24.
The 1,189 total valid votes cast represents just 1.15 per cent of 101,868 eligible voters.
Manhas is an interventional radiology technologist in the medical imaging department at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.
Over the past five years, she’s been the president of SD43’s District Parents Advisory Council (DPAC) for three years, its vice-president as well as its health and safety coordinator.
Prior to that Manhas was the chair of the Parents Advisory Council at Smiling Creek Elementary School.
This was her first run for public office.
Manhas had the support of several established local political figures, including Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA Jennifer Blatherwick and Coquitlam-Burke Mountain MLA Jodie Wickens, Coquitlam councillors Terri Towner, Matt Djonlic and Craig Hodge, Mayor Richard Stewart and SD43 board chair Michael Thomas.
During her campaign, Manhas said she would work with the province to see new schools get built in the district to accommodate its growing population. She said she’s also an advocate for improving resources to support education assistants and teachers as well as to address bullying.
“By fostering open communication and valuing their expertise, I aim to ensure teachers have the tools and support they need to help students thrive,” Manhas said.
The byelection was held to replace the seat vacated by Blatherwick after she was elected to the provincial legislature last Oct. 19.
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