Does Voting Matter?

Does Voting Matter? Experiencing the effects of voting

At a glance

In this activity, students

  • explore how much they care about decisions that are made by the federal government and how much voting matters to them
  • engage in a series of voting simulations where they can see in a fun and engaging way how voter turnout affects choices and decisions, and
  • view a consolidation video and reconsider their response to the question “Does voting matter?”

Big idea: In every election, whether voter turnout is high or low, one person is elected in each electoral district and ends up with the power to make decisions that affect all of us.

Subjects: This activity is designed for a social studies, politics, civics or citizenship class.

Language learner version: This activity includes a version for language learners and struggling readers. Plain language and simple sentences make this version ideal for lower-literacy, immersion and second language students. Also, the speeches are short, so students can complete the activity in the allotted time and achieve the same learning outcomes.

Level: Secondary

Time needed: 60 minutes