While more people made it to city polls in 2014, Burnaby council is concerned at the low voter turnout for the 25 to 34 age range.
Voter turnout from ages 65 to 74 was 43 per cent – the highest age range for engagement – but for the younger age range, it was only 15 per cent.
“I think it’s a very disappointing result. It astounds me that people that have the most to gain, people whose life will be determined by those decisions, fail to act,” Mayor Derek Corrigan said at Monday night’s meeting. “It’s extremely frustrating when you see the turnout from people who are over 65.”
Coun. Nick Volkow suggested that the youth vote might be increased if the voting age were dropped to 17.
“I firmly believe if you lower the age – I said 16 before but now I’m prepared to go to 17 – but at 17, you’re in Grade 12 and you’re leaving to become a citizen,” Volkow said. “I think most 17 year olds are mature enough and knowledgeable enough to know what an issue might be in an election campaign.”
Corrigan pointed out that Burnaby’s 17 year olds, and all youth in the city, are already citizens, and added he’d like to see more engagement from those over 19 first.
Coun. Anne Kang spoke on behalf of the 25 to 34 year olds in the city.
“Maybe they’re starting a family, maybe they’ve started a job or career,” she said, adding they’re more involved with social media and engaged in their own interests.
Kang suggested that a special voting opportunity or mobile polling station be located at a post-secondary institution in the city in the next election.
“Eighteen to 24, kids are excited and out of school, and they’re full of aspirations,” she said, adding that they’re spending more time at the city’s malls, where there were polling stations this year.
Despite the low youth turnout, overall turnout did increase, though it was lower than the provincial average.
Last November, 28.92 per cent of registered voters made it to city polls. In 2011, 23.3 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots.
In the 2014 election, the provincewide average was 33.3 per cent.
“There were 8,555 voters that voted in this election that hadn’t voted previously, and that’s very impressive,” Corrigan said. “That’s a lot more people entering the democratic process. It’s still not good enough. I don’t think any of us are satisfied that 28 per cent of our population is enough people voting but it’s certainly an improvement.”
Council attributed the increased engagement in Burnaby to new initiatives taken by the city, such as Vote Anywhere.
Vote Anywhere allowed residents to vote at any of the 35 polling stations in the city. There were also special stations set up at 18 care facilities in the city and Burnaby Hospital, according to a report from the chief election officer, Lynne Axford. Metrotown, Brentwood and Lougheed malls had polling stations, as well.
The city also used Municipal VoterView – an online suite of services that managed voter lists, workers and provided access to candidates, according to the report.
VoterView replaced manual processes used in past elections and provided data on the demographics of voters, such as age ranges.
Axford’s report also detailed plans for the 2018 civic election, including leasing new vote-counting machines.
The city’s 42 voting machines were bought in 1996, according to Axford, and they aren’t being made anymore.
“Because of that, and the technology that’s changing, we’re looking at leasing,” she said in an interview with the NOW.
As far as engaging youth in the next election, Axford said the city would look at doing more on social media for 2018.
There was a polling station at University Hill Elementary School near SFU, according to Axford, but the city is looking into having an advance voting polling station on the Wednesday before the election right at the university in 2018.
“There’s typically less turnout on the Wednesday,” Axford explained. “This would give students the opportunity to vote while they’re in classes.”
