A new Elections Canada project to facilitate youth participation in federal elections

Canadian flag waving | Photo: CC0 Public Domain

For the 2015 federal elections that will take place on Oct. 19, Elections Canada has launched a pilot project at approximately 40 select campuses, friendship centres and community centres to provide voters with relevant information as well as an opportunity to register and vote.

According to the National Youth Survey Report on the Elections Canada website, during the 2011 election 64 per cent of students named “access barriers” as the top reason for not voting. This includes 30 per cent who stated they were too busy during the day to attend the polling station and 14 per cent who claimed they were away from their riding.

The new project will help overcome those obstacles. Its key element—especially important for students who have moved to attend school—distinguishing the offices from regular polling stations is the ability to vote by special ballot for their home ridings without traveling all the way back home.

The aim is to engage as many students and youth as possible in the elections process. This is vital because, according to the government report on 2011 elections, the participation rate of 18- to 24-year-old voters was low, with only 39 per cent of participants compared to the national average of 61 per cent. On-campus offices could increase students’ participation in the upcoming federal elections by making voting easier and more accessible.

Although the offices are mainly focused on getting students to vote, they will also be open to all eligible voters regardless of their permanent address in Canada.

All offices will open their doors on Oct. 5 through Oct. 8 and will operate for up to 10 hours a day based on the size of the institution. Operating hours, along with the location of the nearest office, can be found on the official website of Elections Canada (www.elections.ca), which will be updated regularly to reflect any changes.

In Ontario, nine universities will participate in the pilot project, including the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and York University.

George Brown College students are welcome to vote at the Ryerson office, which will be located at the Student Centre (201B Margaret Laurence Room, 55 Gould Street). This location will be open 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. from Oct. 5 to 8. In order to vote the student will have to provide two pieces of government-issued ID.