According to preliminary data from Elections Canada, the turnout for the last federal election was about 59 per cent, which is the lowest rate in more than a decade and just above the all-time federal election low.
Almost 17 million Canadians voted out of 27.4 million eligible voters. Turnout was down from 67 per cent in 2019, according to Elections Canada.
Research has demonstrated that some groups of electors tend to vote less than the general Canadian population.
In order to get more people voting, youth need to be educated early so they understand how important their vote is.
Parents need to educate youth and teens on topics involving politics as many young adults did not vote in the most recent federal election.
Many teens determine their opinions based on their parent’s point of view as well as input from social media spheres, especially when it comes to politics and government issues, according to the Pew Research Centre, which says young people are less concerned with politics and do not participate in social or political activities.
Teenagers who have a strong attachment to their community are more likely to vote compared to those with weak attachments, according to statistics Canada. The highly attached are much more likely than the less attached to closely follow politics.
Teens feel that politics does not affect them, perhaps because they have not yet developed the responsibilities which are the subject of political issues.
In Canada, one study demonstrated that 14 per cent of Canadians above 15 years of age expressed views on a political or social issue through an internet forum or news website and five per cent participated in a demonstration or march.
Parents and education play a huge role in a teen’s life and the decisions they make. Without an educated electorate and special interest groups, it can easily lead to making poor decisions.
Youth and teens need to be educated on topics involving politics.
Young voters need to go to the polls and vote for what they believe in and not just vote based on their parents’ point of view because their opinions and political party’s opinions will get overlooked and disregarded. In fact, many teens worry about the future of their country. However, if they want a change or expect one, they need to vote for it.
A new psychology study shows more than half of caregivers indicated their child experienced at least one relevant worry on topics related to politics. However, many parents try to instruct their children and impart their views, perhaps hoping their kids become the people they wish they were themselves.
Teens need help to engage with the community and be taught how to make decisions based on research rather than misinformation posted on social media.
Teens should be taught more than just the CIVICS course in grade ten and parents should also educate their young children on topics related to politics because every vote matters.
The voice of young people is important, and we need to encourage them to recognize the importance of voting and make their voices heard in the democratic process.
The only way to make sure this happens is to educate the young generation to about the importance of voting and remind politicians youth vote in each election.