By Lisa Schick

Votes at Carlton

Apr 19, 2011 | 6:32 AM

Carlton Comprehensive High School students will get their say in the federal election today.

Students will be participating in a mock election parallel with May’s federal election.

Teacher at Carlton, Kelly Klassen, said he has participated in the mock elections before and he thinks it’s good for students.

“It really gets students aware of the process and … Elections Canada kind of presented it as a way to get kids aware of the political process and get them to be engaged citizens in Canada.”

The Student Vote program was created as a way to improve dwindling voter turnouts in the younger Canadian demographic.

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The program tries to get youth interested in, and used to the process before they are even of-age to vote.

The students at Carlton have been learning about Canadian politics in their classes for the past few weeks: party platforms, the politicians vying to be Prime Minister, the electoral process etc.

Klassen said he thinks the mock elections and learning around it will help students understand why they should be voting.

“(It will) hopefully give them a sense that their voice is important, that they can and can affect change and democracy is important.”

Steven Goetz, manager of social media and communications with Student Vote, said getting younger Canadians voting is a democratic issue.

“Government becomes less representative as different groups stop participating, that’s generally accepted and observed when demographics stay at home, so what we’re trying to do is encourage young people by building a habit of participation before they turn 18 so we can hopefully reverse that trend.”

Goetz said one of the biggest predictors of whether or not a person is going to vote is their interest and knowledge.

The program delivers the knowledge to the students and tries to build interest in politics as well.

This is the fourth federal election that Student Vote has run a parallel election, but already a third of schools in Canada are participating.

The results of the students’ vote is released on election night after the regular polls have closed and in most elections the student voting has predicted the outcome of the government, but the opposition has been skewed to the left of the political spectrum with more seats for NDP or Green Party candidates.

Goetz said one of the goals is to increase voter turnout, but they also want to create informed citizens.

“We’re not simply promoting ‘just go in and mark an X,’ we’re also asking people to look at the prerequisite information which would allow you to make an informed decision: knowing who your local candidates are, what’s in the political platforms, who the party leaders are and also knowing what issues speak to you and what reflects your vision of Canada.”

The program is creating a lot of interest in not only the teachers but the students as well, Klassen said.

“I’ve had a lot of kids that are watching the debate on television now, I’ve heard parents say and come back that there’s lot of talk at home now about politics, I think it helps.”

lschick@panow.com