This fall marks one year since the 2021 federal election—a perfect time to use our Elections by the Numbers educational resource, which now features the latest data on voter turnout. These statistics will quickly become an indispensable tool for teaching numeracy, math, language arts and social sciences. Voter turnout varies over time. With a focus on youth voting trends, you can explore this subject with your students from multiple angles.
2021 data now available
In the latest version of Elections by the Numbers, students still explore the inquiry question “How does youth voting compare to that of other age groups?” They are then asked to think about trends in their school or community and what they mean. Finally, they compare voter turnout data for different age groups and try to predict trends for future elections.
The resource was recently updated with data from the 2021 federal election. The table now allows students to compare 10 years of voter turnout data by age group. The graph shows voter turnout at federal elections from Confederation to 2021.
A new enhancement activity has been added by popular demand from teachers. Detailed sets of data on recent federal elections are now available to allow for a more in-depth analysis of voter turnout by age group. The data tables also allow students to compare voter turnout across provinces and territories: Are the same trends being observed throughout the country? What can you observe about first-time voters?
These latest changes provide a richer learning experience and help students to better represent their interpretation of the data by designing a graph, map, diagram or other visual. Elections by the Numbers uses a variety of learning methods to encourage both teamwork and individual reflection. For an overview of the lesson and some tips on how to teach it, watch our short video entitled Teaching “Elections by the Numbers”.
Elections by the Numbers can be used in many courses. It can help students in statistics or math classes learn about representing data graphically, while students in language arts or media classes can practice making and interpreting infographics. It is also an excellent resource for developing students’ literacy and numeracy skills and sharpening their analytical abilities.
Youth voter turnout trends
Your students will notice the consistent gap in voter turnout between 18- to 24-year-olds and 65- to 74-year-olds. Numerous studies have attempted to better understand why fewer young people are voting. For more information on the topic, visit our Youth Voting Trends in Canada page.
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