Youth politically engaged despite low voting turnout

Only about 19% of eligible UNBC students participated in last week’s student elections.

With final exams and essays coming up, UNBC Political Science Instructor Jason Morris understands the low turnout. He also realizes there’s a reoccurring narrative of poor turnout among young voters, whether it’s regarding representatives on University Hill or Parliament Hill.

Morris remembers the 2013 provincial election when less than half of eligible British Columbians aged 18-24 cast a ballot, however, he still feels today’s youth are involved. According to Morris, voting is no longer the pinnacle of civic engagement.

“Political participation puts voting as the ultimate method of expression in a liberal democracy but it’s not the only means of playing a role in the process of politics in the decisions that are made,” Morris says, “the younger crowd participate in many other ways besides voting: that could be attending a protest or demonstration, signing a petition, participating in the sharing, the liking, the retweeting of political content on social media.”

The total numbers aren’t much better. In that same election, turnout in both the Prince George-Mackenzie and Prince George-Valemount ridings sat at 56% overall.

For a class project last year, Morris’ students survey young voters in Prince George to measure their level of engagement. 

“Students found that young people are voting but are having some thoughts about going to online voting, considering making voting mandatory, and as well having the political parties articulate youth concerns in a much more direct way.”

He does suggest students and young voters become proactive with their political efforts than reactive.

“So often, the participation that is done by young people comes after the fact, after the decisions are made, when they could be playing more of a role in the policy process leading up to those changes as a better way to have those changes reflect their interests.”