Elections and Voting: Why They Matter

We have the power to change the future

Voting = engagement = community participation = belonging

The idea that "people get the government they deserve" has been expressed in many ways by many leaders, from Abraham Lincoln to Julius Caesar. Today, the idea underscores a compelling reason to vote.

Statistics show that connections of people to the community are loosening, the numbers of people involved in all kinds of political participation are declining and people who aren't connected do not feel inspired to seek positive changes.

Nova Scotia is not alone. Right across North America fewer eligible voters are taking the time to vote than ever before.

In the 1960 general election in Nova Scotia, the outcome was not much in doubt, but more than 82 per cent of eligible voters went to the polls. In 2006, in an election close enough to produce a minority government, voter turnout in Nova Scotia dipped below 60 per cent for the first time.

The downward trend in voter turnout is also reflected in federal elections; and across the United States, where it is even more pronounced.

Why some people vote and others do not, and whether we should care, has been the subject of mountains of research in recent years. There are different theories to explain why so many people are not voting. Most experts agree, however, that it is something we should care about.

We should care because engaged citizens tend to vote, and engaged citizens tend to be happier and healthier members of their communities. That is not to say voting makes citizens happy or healthier. Voting is an indicator of citizen engagement, and it is a characteristic of an engaged citizen. And by every account, declining voter turnout numbers are not a healthy sign for any country or province.

Addressing the level of engagement of our children and youth is important to all of us and we can, over time, turn the negative trend around.

One way is by bringing your child with you when you vote!