11-year-old interviewer puts the questions to Pasadena council candidates

Just call her a one-girl broadcasting outlet with a flair for local politics. 

Eleven-year-old Anna Hillier of Pasadena, N.L., has been using her video camera to record one-on-one interviews with candidates for the town's municipal election and posting them on her YouTube channel, "Meet the Candidates 2017."

The first [interview] was really scary, but then it kept on getting better because then I felt like they were family.- Anna Hillier

Voters in Pasadena go to the polls Sept. 26 as municipal elections are held across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Anna is home-schooled, and the project came at the prompting of her mother, Jacqueline Hillier.

"My mom said, 'OK, there's elections going on and you're gonna learn about it, so … let's go!'" said Anna.

'…with Aaann-aaah Hillier!'

Anna said she got the idea to do the videos when she was reading Facebook posts by candidates. She thought interviewing them and posting the videos would make it easier for people who can't read or who don't use Facebook.

Anna has put together a format for the interviews so she can treat all the candidates fairly. She sits beside each candidate on a bench outside a house and asks the same list of questions to each one.

Anna's on-camera delivery is upbeat. She typically introduces herself with "Welcome to 'Meet the Candidates' with Aaaann-aaaah Hillier!" as she spreads her arms wide in a showbiz flourish. Anna smiles often during the conversation, listening attentively and laughing with her guests when appropriate.

In the interviews she has done so far, Anna said the common factor has been the candidates' love for the people of Pasadena and their commitment to improving things in the town.

Looking for 'a good attitude'

"Confidence-wise for me, the first (interview) was really scary, but then it kept on getting better because then I felt like they were family, because they're helping us stay in Pasadena," she said.

But if Anna were old enough to vote, she'd also be looking for "a good attitude, because some of them out there don't have any good attitudes!" she said with a chuckle.

The young interviewer said her guests think the interviews are "wonderful, with a learning experience that's going on and they think it's really cool."

You can check out Anna Hillier's interviews with Pasadena town council candidates at goo.gl/3eCdzf.