First ever Mennonite legislator?

They first came to Belize back in 1958… And now almost fifty years later, the first Mennonite Belizean has been nominated by a major political party to run for a seat in the House of Representatives. In a convention on Sunday, Elvin Penner, a businessman from Spanish Lookout, won the U.D.P. nomination in the Cayo Northeast constituency over four other candidates. Penner received six hundred and thirty-six votes to Ralph Huang’s three hundred and thirty-seven, Yasmine Andrews’ two hundred and twenty-nine, Moses Chuc with one hundred and thirty-six, and John Trapp with fifty-three. Penner is no stranger to electoral politics, having run a losing campaign for the mayorship of Belmopan in 2000. He was born in Spanish Lookout and today told News Five that while around fifty percent of that community’s Mennonite residents still do not vote due to religious reasons, he believes that the situation is gradually changing and his candidacy is proof of that. Cayo Northeast is one of two newly created constituencies in that district. The People’s United Party has recently formed an executive committee in the constituency that will be looking for suitable candidates. The next general elections are not due until 2008, although the Opposition United Democratic Party, along with some union and citizens’ groups, has been agitating for a vote to be held much earlier.