Manitoba NDP leadership hopeful Greg Selinger shares a laugh with two young NDP party members prior to their voting at a delegate meeting of youth party members in Winnipeg Tuesday. (James Turner/CBC)

Young members of Manitoba's New Democratic Party have voted decisively in support of Steve Ashton — and his unabashed commitment to freeze tuition fees — to be the province's next premier and party leader.

More than 300 enthusiastic Manitoba Young New Democrats members packed a basement hall and cast ballots at the University of Winnipeg in the city's downtown on Tuesday evening.

Ashton won 67 delegates to rival Greg Selinger's 40, with a single delegate going to former leadership candidate Andrew Swan.

Swan dropped out from the leadership race on Sept. 28 and is supporting Selinger's bid to become premier.

The vote for Swan was mailed in from rural Manitoba weeks before Tuesday night's meeting.

Selinger still leads the overall race by 117 delegates.

Outgoing Premier Gary Doer is stepping down to become Canada's next ambassador to the U.S.

Tuesday night's delegate selection meeting of young party members was the final — and possibly most anticipated — meeting of the race so far leading up to an Oct. 17 party convention in Winnipeg.

The total number of delegates chosen is just shy of 1,500. They fall four ways in terms of support, according to a Selinger campaign spokesman. They are broken down as:

• 741 for Selinger
• 624 for Ashton
• 72 for Swan which are now considered swing delegates
• 55 are independent

Ashton's vow on tuition resonates

The underlying tone of each candidate's pre-voting speech Tuesday was markedly different, with Ashton playing enthusiastically to the immediate interests of the large, young and diverse crowd.

Ashton restated his commitment to bringing back the province-wide tuition freeze, which was ended this spring after being in effect for nearly a decade.

Ashton also said he'd take action to address high provincial rates of youth unemployment and a lack of affordable housing.

The most eyebrow-raising moment of the night came when Ashton said he'd personally become the provincial minister in charge of youth affairs if he becomes premier.

He said his being in charge of the youth portfolio would help "cut out the barriers" of young people not feeling "plugged in" to the political process.

Selinger took the microphone to a near standing ovation. In a measured tone, he pledged support for strong fiscal policy to shore up a troubled economy.

Selinger said without a sound economic base, young Manitobans couldn't count on a strong labour market and educational institutions in the future.

Selinger avoided talk of the tuition freeze, but said he'd cap tuition increases at five per cent. He also supported offering students advances on their tuition tax-rebate to keep cash in their pockets while still in school.

Selinger also pledged that no matter the outcome of the leadership convention, the provincial NDP would unite behind whomever becomes premier.

Reasons for support mixed

University of Winnipeg student and youth party member Sonny Sidhu, 22 said he was supporting Ashton because of his commitment to affordable post-secondary education.

Too many college and university students wind up neck-deep in debt, Sidhu said, adding the debt load becomes an albatross making it difficult for young people to contribute to their communities.

"It doesn't seem very fair … there should be a little more help for young students," Sidhu said.

Greg Furmaniuk, 17, said he's been a card-carrying party member for three months. He also came to vote in support of Ashton.

"He has strong principles," Furmaniuk said.

But young New Democrat Neil Christensen, 22, said Selinger was getting his vote based on his knowledge of urban socio-economic issues.

"I think he knows the issues and struggles of the poor and under-represented in society," Christensen said.