Student group woos young voters as Ontario election nears

With less than a week to go before the provincial election, there's concern that millennial voters are checking out of the democratic process, leaving the voting up to older generations.

People aged 18 to 24 are the least likely to vote in provincial elections, according to data from Statistics Canada.

Only 34 per cent of eligible voters in that age bracket cast a ballot in the last provincial election in 2014.

Even though that's an increase from the 2011 election — in which a mere 24 per cent of eligible youth voted — it's still concerning, said Danny Chang, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

"We know that if a young person doesn't vote in the first election that they're eligible to vote, they're less likely to vote in the future," he said.

Tough election for youth issues

Miary Yamamoto, a 23-year-old Carleton University student, said she felt candidates in this election haven't done much to encourage youth to get involved.

A lot of the issues that the candidates have been debating about haven't been targeted toward youth.- Carleton University student Miary Yamamoto

"I just think there's a ton of youth voter apathy," she said. "I think this election's been so complicated and such a mess, I think it's really easy to disengage."

So far, candidates have talked sparingly about issues that matter to students, Yamamoto said.

Instead, they've focused on topics like hydro rates, child care costs and hospital wait times — which may not strike a chord with young people who don't pay electricity bills, don't have children and are relatively healthy.

"I just think that a lot of the issues that the candidates have been debating about haven't been targeted toward youth and there's been no effort," Yamamoto said.

"I think the federal election was different. There was a lot of youth engagement from the parties."

Youth turnout in the 2015 federal election was 57.1 per cent — still below the national average of 66 per cent, but a far cry from the turnout seen in provincial elections.

This year, OUSA — which represents undergraduate students at eight Ontario universities —  has launched a campaign to reach younger voters, getting them to pledge to vote in the upcoming election.

Chang said part of OUSA's get-out-the-vote strategy this year has been to make students aware of why they should vote, highlighting issues like tuition rates, sexual violence on campus and student mental health.

While they haven't been front-and-centre in the debates, those issues will have to be addressed by the next government, Chang said.

"We're seeing millennials as the largest, most diverse block of eligible voters in Ontario," he said. "So it's really important for us to engage with this group."

Barriers in the way

Student unions often drive the get-out-the-vote efforts, so the fact the academic year's complete and many students have left campus is posing a challenge.

​"It's a lot easier to get youth out to vote when it's during the school year," said Beth Dodwell, a 23-year-old master's student at Carleton University.

"My friends back home, they're not as politically engaged as I am and they don't necessarily care as much," she said. "It's a little more difficult to get them out if it's not right in front of them."

Even if young people know the election issues, there are other barriers to their participation, Chang said. 

"Especially if students haven't voted in the past, they may not be registered to vote and therefore just not know how," Chang said. 

That's why the OUSA campaign is also making sure first-time voters know where they can vote and what's required in terms of providing identification.

Students can also vote in their home riding or their school's riding, Chang said, by providing a lease or other proof of residence.

'It's a responsibility'

Ian Eddenden, a 20-year-old University of Ottawa student, said he's planning on voting but doesn't know if he's registered — and isn't sure what to do about it.

"I live in Toronto with family, my brother and my parents," he said. "We got three voting cards in the mail, but none for me."

Elections Ontario has been reaching out to voters on social media, allowing them to register on their phones. The agency has also introduced Owen, an online chat-bot that provides information to voters. 

Even though some young voters may be apathetic, Dodwell said casting a ballot is incredibly important.

"I just think it's a responsibility that you have if you care about the direction of your future," she said.