LAC LA BICHE – As Canadians headed to the polls on April 28 for the federal election, students at JA Williams (JAWS) High School in Lac La Biche participated in a mock student voting exercise.
The Student Vote event was part of a nationwide initiative offered through the Canadian charitable organization CIVIX. According to information from CIVIX, the Student Vote Canada national parallel election program takes place in more than 7,000 schools across the country.
The objective of the initiative, which is done in collaboration with Elections Canada, is to provide students with an introduction to politics and encourage a habit of democratic participation. Through the program, students are also given the opportunity to explore Canadian political parties and platforms, debate issues, and cast ballots for candidates running their local constituencies.
“Since 2003, more than nine million ballots have been cast by students across 69 elections. Independent evaluations consistently show that the program increases students' knowledge of government and elections, strengthens their sense of civic responsibility, and builds confidence in their ability to participate in the voting process,” according to CIVIX.
Student Vote, which ran from 12:30 to 2 p.m., was organized by Jake Nowicki’s Grade 11 Social 20-1 class.
During the JAWS Student Vote, a classroom inside the school was temporarily transformed into a simulated polling station, with Social 20-1 students performing various functions such as registering fellow students to vote, and staffing ballot boxes.
Prior to working at the polling station, the social studies students prepared by studying the election along with learning about major issues affecting Canada.
“My class has been researching the election in conjunction with their studies on nationalism and national interest, and are excited to see the votes come in,” Nowicki said.
According to Nowicki, after the polls had closed at JAWS on the afternoon of April 28, and the votes were counted, the official participation results were 212/443 Students (47.9 per cent turnout).
JA Williams High School hosted a Student Vote for the 2023 Alberta provincial election, as well as the last federal election that took place in 2021.
“Voting in high school will allow students to recognize their civic responsibility to be an engaged citizen when they turn 18,” he said.
Emily Cloutier was one of the students in Nowicki’s social studies class who was working at the polling station at JAWS on April 28. Participating in the exercise made her feel like she was part of the process.
Cloutier said members of the class studied many federal political issues as they got ready for the student vote. She added that there are many issues currently affecting Canada, including a housing crisis.
“I feel like I’m involved in politics,” she said. “I don’t feel like I’m just that little kid who has no say in whatever happens . . . even though we don’t have any say, it just kind of feels like we do.”
Student Vote gives young people an opportunity to begin to understand politics and how the process works before casting a vote becomes their responsibility as Canadian citizens when they turn 18.
“It’s important to learn about that,” she stated.
Gabby Lemay, a Grade 10 student at JAWS, was one of the students who cast a vote in the exercise.
“When we turn 18 to go vote, we will know what we’re doing,” she said.
Lindsay Mazzucco, the chief executive officer of CIVIX, spoke about the importance of the student vote.
"Student Vote is more than a simulation — it's a chance for students to see themselves as active citizens and future voters," said Mazzucco. “Research shows that early experiences with voting can build the habits and confidence that lead to lifelong participation — and teachers across Canada continue to make that possible.”
