By Sarah Allan

With the lowest voter turnout in the history of Canada since confederation, only 58.8 percent of the voting population* showed up to choose the future of their country in the 2008 federal election. This startling statistic just doesn’t represent the voter apathy of our nation, it represents the most dangerous form of apathy, the apathy of youth.

Photo by Sarah Allen

Student issues haven’t ever really topped the Federal agenda they always seem to lose their place to topics such as the economy. However, there’s the problem; not giving students a path to influence their future. The lack of student oriented issues addressed in policy has created a cycle of disinterest.

The voter turnout isn’t the only number that’s declining, the number of times politicians address students is also sharply falling. Without relevant student concerns, the problem will only continue to worsen because students aren’t engaged in the larger political process.

Voting demographics for the 40th general election show only 58.8 percent of all registered voters decided to vote. Records from the 2004 election show that at most 38 per cent of voters aged 18-21 even voted. At 64.7 percent overall, the 2004 election was recorded as the lowest voter turnout in history. The 2008 election had six percent less voters. There’s a trend here, and as you guessed it the number of students voting is falling as well.

It is nothing new to say that apathy lowers voter turnout, but if students are bored with politics now they will be even more disinterested later. The first years of anything should be exciting, that’s why if voting isn’t then a bad habit will form later in life. Nobody likes bad habits, especially if they keep lowering the voter turnout.

Education is the solution to apathy. Programs such as Student Vote are geared to get children, at the pre-voting age, involved. However, this is only a step in the right direction, as the issues for students now eligible to vote need to be a priority for politicians. With the provincial election only months away many grade 12 students all over BC will be eligible to vote for the very first time.

Involving students by addressing what they care about will give them the desire to be educated about politics. Students will come around if the government will come around. Let’s face it, the future of our country depends on this relationship. The future of our country depends on its students.

Our Nation’s Future, in the Hands of its Students?