Slide Deck 12: Democratic Participation

Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible electors, or sometimes registered voters, that cast ballots in an election.

How do we evaluate participation in elections?

But voter turnout varies widely between groups within Canada But voter turnout varies widely between groups within Canada. This is especially true in terms of age groups; young Canadians are much less likely to vote than older ones. Ongoing issue – called the generational or cohort effect: each new group of voters is less likely to vote. Someone who turned 18 in the 1960s was more likely to vote in their first election, than someone who turns 18 now. Each generation is less likely to vote than the generation before it. In 1965, about two thirds of first-time electors voted in their first election. By the mid-1980s, just over half of first-time electors were voting. And by 2004, that number had fallen to just over one third.

Voter turnout has steadily declined in Canada for the last two decades Voter turnout has steadily declined in Canada for the last two decades. Voter turnout reached an all-time low of 59% in the 2008 federal election. Declining voter turnout might be the most prominent example of citizen disengagement, but it's not the only one. Research shows that very few Canadians play an active part in election campaigns or belong to political parties. News consumption habits have also changed dramatically. Many people under the age of 40 don’t read newspapers or watch the news. And as a result, Canadians rarely discuss politics. 5

Do you think voter turnout varies across age groups? Why or why not?

What does this research suggest about voting trends and behaviour?

What are the consequences of varying rates of voter turnout among age groups?

What percentage of electors do you think voted in 2015 federal election? 11

In the 2015 federal election, voter turnout increased to 68% (up from 61% in 2011) 12

Can you guess the percentage of young voters that cast ballots?