To help get more youth involved in the upcoming provincial election, the University of Manitoba has organized a YouTube contest to challenge young citizens to reduce the “democratic deficit.”
VoteAnyWay will challenge entrants to use their movie-making skills to create a 29-second or less PSA by designing the most effective youth voting advertisement.
“‘VoteAnyWay’ means choosing to take part in the Manitoba election despite all of the cynicism surrounding the role of young people in politics,” said project co-director and University of Manitoba adjunct professor Jared Wesley. “As a non-partisan project, ‘VoteAnyWay’ also means voting any way that you choose, for whichever candidate or party you prefer.”
In an average election, only about one-third of Canadians aged 18 to 25 casts a ballot — a rate far lower than their parents and grandparents.
“Too often, older Canadians find themselves scolding younger citizens about why voting is important. These lengthy lectures about civic duty aren’t working. We need to get youth involved in the discussion, and turn this into a two-way conversation,” Wesley said.
Manitobans head to the polls on October 4.
To enter the contest, visit Facebook.com/VoteAnyWay.
