Every election season, I find myself re-entering the conversation of why young people should be voting despite the fact that a lot of youth simply do not vote.
There are a plethora of reasons why it is important to vote, from encouraging community engagement, fulfilling civic responsibility, and the inclusion of a youth lens that fosters more inclusive and better long-term policies.
The upcoming Squamish municipal election is an important one, and there is a lot on the table from housing to sustainable development. These issues matter to young people both right now and in the future, and we need to be a part of the democratic process that elects leaders who will set a good agenda.
We discuss affordable housing a lot, and it is a clear priority, but taking into account the youth perspective, we need to talk about housing being affordable and available. Youth are disproportionately discriminated against in the housing market due to ageism. Young people are less likely to be rented an apartment or room, which adds an extra layer to the housing struggle. This is one of many examples of why advocacy about issues that impact youth matters and sheds a new light on an issue that the community faces. Most importantly, understanding this angle will also foster better policy for long-term solutions that benefit the community at large.
As a student, I always ask myself, why are youth deciding not to show up to the ballot box? Again, there are many reasons why young people decide not to vote — the most common being political disenfranchisement. It becomes a vicious cycle when young people decide not to vote. Politicians then do not cater to the younger voter base, giving youth less reason to vote at all if no one is actively looking to challenge the issues that this demographic is facing.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge the additional challenges young people face in voting systems beyond feeling like their vote does not matter.
For instance, new voters are often confused about how to vote, especially if they have moved away temporarily for post-secondary or vocational training. Students who move to a university within B.C. can vote in their new municipality where their school is located or their in the municipality of their home address. There are also challenges such as transportation, issues having proper ID, and confusion over the process of how to vote via mail-in ballot.
Let us acknowledge that these barriers exist so we can work toward better youth turnout in our election systems. Ultimately, when young people vote, our council is more representative and more responsive to the concerns of youth, leading to better governance for all.
Understanding that both political disenfranchisement and barriers impact youth voter turn out, let us be a bit more empathetic and work toward encouraging young people to vote and overcome these barriers.
If a young person you know is having trouble, assist them. Offer to drive them to the advance poll if they do not drive or help them figure out their ID requirements. Another powerful tool to encourage voting is having a conversation about the issues that youth care about and pointing them in the direction of how to manoeuvre through campaign platforms to find candidates who confront their concerns. Encouraging stereotypes, such as saying that youth are lazy or don’t care is a part of the problem. Be a part of the solution.
