Contested Runoff in the Student Ombudsman Elections at Vocational High School of Textiles and Clothing “Dobri Zhelyazkov” Sliven

The candidates

In the elections for Student Ombudsman held on December 13 and 14, 2023, a runoff emerged among the candidates Stefan Stefanov from 10th grade, Atanas Atanasov from 10th grade, and Victoria Yordanova from 11th grade. With a voter turnout of 68%, 3 invalid ballots, and 5 ballots marked with “I do not support anyone,” Atanas Atanasov and Victoria Yordanova ended up with an equal number of votes. This highlighted to the students the importance of voting and the significance of each vote. The event on the second election day was observed by representatives from the Youth House of Sliven.

Candidates conducted a pre-election campaign

The runoff between the two candidates took place on December 15. The voting was intense, with a outsourced polling station for students from 11th and 12th grades who were in a real working environment at Ltd “Edoardo Mirolio” in Sliven.

After the end of the election day, the results were processed. Atanas Atanasov is now the Student Ombudsman. We wish him success in his new endeavor and believe in his achievements against new challenges!

The elections were prepared with all elements of real elections.

With this lesson in Civic Education initiated by the Center for Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance, Amalipe, Vocational High School of Textiles and Clothing is the first school in the Sliven region with a Student Ombudsman. The conducted real pre-election campaign and the opportunity to vote in real conditions are learning through experience about the formation of civic activity among young girls and boys. All participants in the process: the Student Council at the high school, the ombudsman candidates, the students in the election sections, the voters in the face of the students, gained invaluable experience that will be analyzed and evaluated.

The school’s leadership, staff, and teachers organized a real election process for their students. We are pleased that they succeeded in realizing this initiative and admire their efforts because organizing ombudsman elections with so many details, including every element of the civic process, was undoubtedly challenging. The students at Vocational High School of Textiles and Clothing Sliven now know how they can vote when they turn 18, as well as what they can expect and demand from their (as well as the national) ombudsman. Become part of their initiative through the exciting pictures they sent us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amalipe Center develops the initiative to promote student and youth civic activity and the “School Ombudsman” campaign within the project “Intercultural Academy Academy for Civic Participation and Tolerance” with the support of the US State Department through the US Embassy in Bulgaria.