This April, Canadians will head to the polls to vote for the people who will represent their interests in the House of Commons. For teachers, a federal election provides a unique opportunity to bring the democratic process to life for students. Elections Canada offers free educational resources all year round. During federal elections, we’re pleased to support special learning initiatives: Student Vote Canada and working at the polls.
Student Vote Canada
Student Vote Canada is a parallel election program that runs alongside the real federal election. Elections Canada has engaged CIVIX to deliver Student Vote for this year’s federal election. Our goal is to have young Canadians from schools across the country take part in all 343 electoral districts.
In Student Vote Canada, students get the chance to play the role of election workers and to vote for the official candidates running in their school’s riding, using real voting materials from Elections Canada. The program is free to any school, and materials are available in both official languages.
We know that authentic learning experiences like Student Vote Canada have an impact on developing engaged citizens and future voters.
Fun Facts
- Elections Canada and CIVIX have been offering Student Vote Canada during federal elections since 2004.
- More than 800,000 students participated in the last Student Vote Canada in 2021.
- Students typically elect the same governing party as adults, but the breakdown of results by party often varies.
- After participating in the program, 75% of students said they felt more prepared to vote in the future.
- 99% of teachers say they would like to participate in Student Vote Canada again.
- 28% of parents reported that their children’s participation in Student Vote Canada had positively influenced their decision to vote.
Do you have questions about the Student Vote Canada program? Contact our friends at CIVIX.
Working at a federal election
Jordan Henderson and 16-year-old Tyler Bruyere, working at the 2019 federal election in Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.
Students aged 16 and older are eligible to work at the polls. We hope you’ll help us spread the word about this experiential learning opportunity to prepare future voters to become active citizens.
By working at the polls, students can learn first-hand about the inner workings of our elections. To start, they will undergo training and learn to follow the strict procedures in place to keep our elections fair and secure. They will observe how voters prove their identity and discover what political parties and candidates can and cannot do on advance polling days and election day. At the same time, students will learn the importance of neutrality in the election process and how it’s maintained. For example, as poll workers, they’ll have to avoid wearing party colours. Finally, they’ll get the chance to interact with members of their own communities as they help them to actively participate in our democracy.
While the work is only for a few days, the valuable experience the students gain will look great on their resumés and allow them to serve their communities.
Poll workers are needed in every community across Canada. No matter where your school is located, you can help connect students to this first-hand learning experience. Training is provided, so no work experience is necessary. Various positions are available, and all are paid (including training!). Poll workers are needed at advance polls on weekends, not just on election day, so students don’t need to miss school to take part in this unique opportunity to participate directly in a federal election—even before they’re eligible to vote!
To learn more about the kinds of positions available, students can visit elections.ca/jobs.
For all official information about where, when and the ways to register and vote, visit the Elections Canada website.