Talking about Voting

Voting is the most basic and vital expression of citizenship in a democracy.

In our democracy citizens choose their government. It is a right, fought for and won by past generations; men and women who cherished freedom.

It is easy to become complacent, or to conclude that because thousands will vote in your electoral district – called a constituency or "riding" – your single vote matters little if at all. The reality is every vote counts, every vote has equal value.

Engaged citizenship is a measure of the wellbeing of our community.

The most common question children ask about elections and voting is a simple one with lots of complex answers.

"Why do you vote?"

We all have our own reasons: belief in the values of a political party, policies, agreement or disagreement on issues, personal awareness of candidates or any combination of these and other factors.

Depending on their age, of course, children may or may not understand these motives. The question, however, does open an opportunity for some discussion about government, what government does and the role of your representative in government, or more accurately in the provincial legislature; the parliament of Canada, or on the municipal council.

You may also need to be ready with answers to questions after the results of an election are in. How do you explain that your vote matters when your candidate loses; or, even if your preferred candidate wins but his or her party does not form the government?

To help answer questions from your kids about how our government works, or to encourage questions check out A Quick Refresher on representative government in Canada and Our History.