A smart way to get young people to vote

While walking around York University on Tuesday, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the City of Vaughan had set up an advanced polling station in the heart of York’s Keele Street campus.

With over 50,000 students, many of them young adults, what a great way to make it even easier for young voters to get out to the polls and exercise their franchise. It would be interesting to see if Vaughan has more young adults voting in this election because of this convenience initiative.

While I commend Vaughan for reaching out to many of its young constituents who attend York; I wish the City of Toronto would have followed Vaughan’s lead and set up advanced polling stations at the different universities in the City of Toronto. I think an initiative like this could get many young people who don't normally vote out to the polls, because it is so easy and convenient and they can fit it into their normal school schedule.

While it is too late for the City of Toronto to do such a thing for this election, it’s never too early to start planning for the next election!

About Adam Zendel

Comments

[Jacques Beau Vert]

I'm not convinced.

Voting is already really not that hard, whether you're a student or a CEO or anyone else. If you care, if it matters to you, you'll vote -- otherwise, the system could drive a Poll Van up to your block and you still won't bother.

Give people someone to vote for and it'll usually happen... however, we have a hard time with that part of the equation, I feel.... :(

[ThinkingMan]

Too disengenious a comment from "I'm not convinced". It's well known that Conservatives, especially those with religious affiliations, are the strongest groups of voters in North America.

Many believe that posters like "I'm not convinced" actively discourage voters expectations because overall lower voter turnouts usually work in the Conservative's favour. The last federal election was the lowest voter turnout in history (58.8%), handing the Conservatives the government with only 22% support from eligable voters.

This is insulting to Canadians, we should be reaching out and encouraging our youth, especially university students to vote as is their citizenship right.

Many students live on campus, or live on strict budgets for time and money. Bringing voting booths to campus - where they are - would accomplish several things, least of all it would encourage more youth to participate in our own democracy,

Any proposal that brings out more voters in Canada will help even the playing field and bring Canada close to true representation and should be welcomed and encouraged.

[Robert Marshall]

In theory it would help

but the reality is that student don't vote very much because they either

1) don't think it will be worth it as it will not make a difference

2) don't have someone they think is worthly to vote for

just look at student governance elections for an example of the problem