Voting is one of many rites of passage that comes with being an adult, along with purchasing lottery tickets and being responsible for your own life. UofT students took the future in their hands during the first two weeks of October, at the several on-campus voting locations located at 16 Bancroft Avenue, 316 Bloor Street West, and 36 Harbord Street. There, students cast their votes for candidates in the local riding of their hometown. Students have made it clear, by the large numbers of votes they cast, that voting is a valuable right.
“I chose to vote because I am determined to have my voice heard. I think its great to see how much encouragement young people are giving each other to go out and vote,” Victoria College student Victoria Butler told The Strand. Students have gained the infamous reputation of not caring for the election or voting, since student voter turnout regularly ranks lowest in the national polls. This positive energy felt around campus is contagious and is rapidly picking up speed. Things are changing, and activity at voting stations is becoming more apparent.
Elections Canada has made efforts to make voting more accessible for students. The Pilot Project set up by Elections Canada is in action within 40 Canadian universities, such as UofT and Waterloo. The project involves Elections Canada setting up offices where out-of-town students can cast a vote in their riding back home.
Youth voter turnout is rising, but still remains low. Youth involvement in the election process is vital for our democratic system. While the numbers of youth entering the voting world continue to grow, large numbers within this category of voters are unaware and uninformed of the election process. Elections Canada’s efforts to involve youth in this system have proven to be effective, as students have created a buzz around placing their votes.
For many first-years, this election will mark the first official vote they have ever cast. Starting university is a difficult, mind-altering experience. Even if first-year students did not care for politics, it would not be hard for them to fall under the influence of a peer who speaks loudly and proudly of their political views. After all, university is a place where new ideas are born and nourished.
The next federal election will be in 2019. By this time, the first-year students in 2015 will be graduating and entering a new stage of their lives where they require different things from a prime minister. It is extremely important that students stay informed on politicians’ promises and the ideas their party presents. Although voting Liberal may seem new and exciting to university students, it may not be what they need one or two years later. What Elections Canada should learn from this transition is that the youth should be educated and involved as soon as they are eligible to vote.
Candidates do not speak of student-related issues, such as student debt, on a large scale like they do with the issue of employment and the middle class. That is one of the reasons for lack of student votes: students are often simply unaware of and uninterested in what politicians are saying. If a candidate were to discuss something a student might find helpful to their lives, such as controlling the crippling debt assigned to students, they might accumulate support and votes from masses of students.
On the Victoria College campus, there have been several events to spark the interest of politics within students, such as the viewing of The Globe and Mail’s leaders’ debate. This student buzz and involvement is crucial for designing a world we all want to live in. Victoria College student Victoria Butler once again states, “I think politicians really underestimate the youth vote, which is a huge mistake. We are about to run the world, after all.” Students are the future, and the student body should not be taken for granted.
Comments are closed.