Quest University students are asking youth to start filming in an attempt to bolster the rate of 20-somethings voting in the upcoming federal election.
Historically, Canadians between the ages of 18 to 24 are the citizens least likely to cast ballots. In 2011, only 38.8 per cent of eligible voters within that age group made it to the polls, according to Elections Canada. The percentage of voting population increased with age, with the majority – 75.1 per cent – of seniors 65 to 74 years old participating in the last election.
Students in Quest's Canadian Political Strategy class say it's time politicians and voters put an end to this trend. They created a video contest inviting B.C. youth under the age of 24 to piece together a 30-second public service announcement about why they vote and why it's important to take part in the Canadian federal election. The videos will be screened at an All Parties Party on Saturday (Oct. 17) at Quest. West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country federal candidates have been invited to the event.
The idea behind the contest was to reach out to youth in media streams they use, Quest student James Blumhagen says. The videos can be shared online among their friends, he noted. Blumhagen said he feels there is a lack of understanding in the political arena about what tools to use to engage with youth.
“They are not asking youth how to do that,” he said.
Quest student Talia Martz-Oberlander said she doesn't feel the candidates are making an effort to attract the youth vote. Besides the Squamish Chamber of Commerce all-candidates luncheon, the federal candidates have not specifically visited the university to speak with students, she said.
Both first-time voters, Martz-Oberlander and Blumhagen said they've had to do the heavy lifting to learn about the candidates and their platforms. It is an interesting dynamic when one not only reads about youth voting trends, but falls within that category and experiences the federal election from that viewpoint, Blumhagen says.
“Every step, I have had to reach out for it [information],” Blumhagen said.
Boosting the youth vote seems like a game of chicken and egg, Martz-Oberlander said. While the youth need to inform themselves, politicians need to engage youth and speak to topics that resonate with them, she explained. Martz-Oberlander’s interest in politics was sparked by the non-partisan subject matter of climate change.
“When something matters so much, you just get engaged,” she said.
Both agree steps need to be taken to encourage youth voting.
“These are the adults of tomorrow,” Martz-Oberlander said.
Video submissions can be uploaded to Youtube. The URL should then be sent to [email protected]. Entries will be judged based on the number of views on Youtube and their overall quality. For more information visit www.facebook.com/events/745213132274733.
