Youth Voting Statistics You Should Know

by Apathy is Boring — March 2, 2007

•    According to the Elections Canada report on the 2004, 38th general election: Just over 38 per cent of voters aged 18-30 cast ballots..

•    Turnout is declining in Canada not because experienced voters are dropping out of the system, but because potential new voters are not opting into the system.  

•    Youth Apathy in regard to voting is a growing problem not only in Canada, but also in the United States as well as the United Kingdom.  We are not alone in this battle!

•    The main conclusion of (the Pammett-LeDuc) study is that the recent decline in voter turnout will likely continue, if left unaddressed.

•    Many studies suggest that this current generation which is choosing to note vote will continue to not vote in the future – this behaviour may not reverse itself when people get older – they will continue to not vote.  

•    While it may be true that young people are less cynical about politics than older citizens, research shows that they do feel a profound sense of disconnect from political institutions.

•    A number of young people are engaged in civil society in a variety of other ways, including volunteering in community organizations or non-governmental organizations.
 
•    Elections Canada’s research shows that the young people who are active in volunteering in community organizations are, to a considerable degree, the same ones who turn out to vote.  In other words, civic engagement and voting tend to go together.

•    According to D-Code’s youth voter DNA report: youth believe that politics are important to their lives, but do not feel they have enough say in where the country is going.

•    The Democracy Project, a large study prepared by the Innovative Research Group brought forth some stunning results:
    -  86 % of youth surveyed are concerned with the current low voter  turnout.
    - 73 % cite that they have not been asked to participate in politics  directly by a politician or a political party
    - 89 % felt it was the duty of every citizen to vote
    - 35 % felt that their vote will not make a difference
    - 68 % disagreed that that they do not have time to think about politics right now
    -82 % felt that youth would be more likely to vote if schools taught more about the government.  
    -The study found a general, direct correlation between expressing  a desire to vote and being politically knowledgeable.

Sources:      
Elections Canada www.elections.ca
D-Code www.d-code.com.  
The Democracy Project :  www.thedemocracyproject.ca/

Source:http://www.elections.ca