Harnessing the Youth Vote

Dayna Wilson

Written for POLI 1101 / Douglas College / Dr. Darin Nesbitt

 

Harnessing the Youth Vote

With voter engagement in the Canadian 18-34 demographic at an all time low and continuing to decline, it is imperative to examine the reasons for such low turnout. In identifying the problems with the current electoral system, we can turn to addressing those issues that are preventing Canadian youth from feeling compelled to vote and hopefully increase engagement.

Surveys of youth voters have pointed to a primary obstacle preventing engagement being a sheer lack of time to do so. Youth respondents claim to be too busy with work, school, or family obligations to have the time to get to a polling station.

The solution to this problem seems clear. As of 2017, the CRTC reports that 99% of Canadian homes have regular access to the internet, with 89% of Canadians accessing a home internet subscription. The internet is widely accessible and is a platform with which modern youth engage frequently. Electronic voting has been increasingly used in elections worldwide, including the United States. While cyber security concerns are valid, adequate preparation and task forces dedicated to said concerns could nullify them. With ready access to an electronic voting platform, the youth vote is sure to increase, along with other minority demographics who face poll accessibility as an obstacle.

              A second concern facing young voters and preventing them from casting a vote is a sense of disenfranchisement and lack of vote value. Young voters are statistically more likely to vote for parties with less widespread national support, such as the NDP and the Green Party. Under the current Single Member Plurality system in Canada, their parties of choice are unlikely to obtain many seats and thus will have little federal influence. Knowing this, young Canadians are apt to feel frustrated with the current political system and may not bother voting, feeling that their vote “doesn’t matter.”

              This sense of disenfranchisement can easily be rectified through electoral reform. A system of proportional representation would empower voters with the knowledge that each vote does absolutely count and increase the likelihood of seeing politicians who represent youth interests being elected to government.

              Today’s Canadian youth are living in a time of unprecedented technological advancement, yet our electoral system remains much the same as it has for decades. To engage the 18-34 demographic and inspire political activity, it’s crucial that we adapt the system to catch up with the times. Youth are showing great potential for political energy through social media discussion and participation in interest groups. Through careful updating of the electoral system, that energy could be harnessed, and political involvement reinvigorated.

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