A number of Regina high school students are getting ready to take part in the federal election April 28 by helping out at a few polling stations in the city.
The students recently took part in Inspire Democracy, a pilot project through Elections Canada to learn about how Canadian democracy works.
The goal of the exercise was to educate the next generation on the history of voting and how it impacts society.
“We look at how democracy is going to look going forward. We need young people to be engaged and involved,” Gwendolyn Friedrich, the returning officer for Regina-Lewvan said.
Students were taught the history of the electoral process, including a deep look into Canada’s democratic past going back to the country’s formation.
Mock elections were also apart of the programming. Students were able to run against each other in fictional parties to better understand the process.
The preparation and learning have got the students participating excited to be apart of election day.
“This amazing opportunity to get involved and solidify the idea in you, that your participation matters. That you have something to contribute,” Leiyanne Napacena, a student from Riffle High School said.
Aspects of Canada’s past were also explored, including when women and when Indigenous Peoples got the right to vote.
Elections Canada estimates 46.7 per cent of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in the 2021 federal election. The lowest of any age group.
One of the purposes of Inspire Democracy is to educate the next generation on the importance of voting and why it matters.
Several factors come into play, including being registered to vote, as well as knowledge of the electoral process.
Those in the project said get young people involved needs to happen now.
“It is a concern. We look at how democracy is going to look going forward. We need young people to be engaged and involved,” Friedrich said.
Inspire Democracy has been used in other parts of the country. This is the first time it has been used in Saskatchewan.
