Program pushes for youth to be more involved in elections
Ruth Matthew from CIVIX said the belief that young peoples voices don't matter can hinder them from voting.
Young adults, not voting has continued to be an issue within Canada. According to Elections Canada, there have been fewer young people voting in Canada. In 2021, the 18-24 turnout was around 47 per cent and the 65-74 turnout was 75 per cent.
"The belief that their voice as youth doesn't make a difference," said Ruth Matthew a Program Manager and Outreach Coordinator at CIVIX.
The Student Vote Program is a way for students to get experience voting and learning about how to vote before they're 18. Student Vote is a program run by CIVIX where schools can create a mock election and teach students about the voting process.
"It's kind of tough to learn politics from a textbook," said Matthew.
It's designed for grades four through twelve. According to Election Canada's Student Vote Program Evaluation, the program started in the 2010 - 2011 school year and was overall supported by teachers and parents whose children participated.
"The teachers will write us saying we've had parents saying 'our kid knows more about politics and this election than we do,'" said Matthew.
This year's Student Vote will align with the Manitoba Municipal election on Oct. 26, 2022.
First, schools must register to participate in Student Vote, according to Matthew there are around 200 registered in Manitoba this year.
CIVIX will send each school free lesson plans, videos, as well as voting materials like ballot boxes, voting screens, and ballots with the local candidates on them.
Students will research the local candidates and the issues they have talked about. On Student Vote Day they'll do a mock vote with some students acting as poll officers and deputy returning officers.
"They get really into it," said Matthew.
Some schools even get the candidates to come in, if it's something like a municipal election, so they can answer questions from the students.
Matthew said 28 per cent of students that participate in student vote will go home and positively influence their parents to cast a ballot where they might not have voted before.
"They'll go home and kind of challenge their parents on the different levels of government and the responsibilities and why it's important to vote in all of these elections," said Matthew.
Matthew said the goal for CIVIX is to create lifelong and informed voters.
"The more exposure and familiarity they have with the processes, the more demystified it is," said Matthew.