Who says you are not old enough to be part of the election? Not Elections Manitoba!
Technically, you still might not be able to vote, but they are trying to get youth involved through three different programs.
One of the programs will have Grade 12 students working on election day as Student Information Officers. It is a paid position that have them helping voters find their polling station, and help them as they get ready to cast their ballots. Manager of Communications with Elections Manitoba Alison Mitchell hopes that will translate to them wanting to vote themselves.
"We're hoping that they have a positive experience there, and that encourages them to be part of the process either this election if they're 18, or the next time they have an opportunity to vote."
Another, called CitizenNext, invites parents to bring their kids with them when they go to vote. When the kids get their "Future Voter" card, they can check out CitizenNext.ca, where they can play games and learn more about why voting is important.
The final one is a classroom workshop where students will eventually take part in a mock-election.
Mitchell says all of this is being done because they believe getting kids involved in elections early on will make them more likely to participate when they are older.
Grade 12 students who would like to become Student Information Officers can get an application form from their school's office.
