About Student Vote

Student Vote provides youth under the voting age with an opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and build the habits of active and engaged citizenship. The program is an excellent way to create a ‘teachable moment’ out of the official election.

Students learn about government and the electoral process, and research the issues and candidates through classroom learning, campaign activities, media consumption and family dialogue. On designated Student Vote Days, students take on the roles of election officials and coordinate a vote for the official candidates. The results are reported to CIVIX confidentially and shared publicly following the close of the polls on election night.

Student Vote is the flagship program of CIVIX, Canada’s leading civic education charity. Since 2003, CIVIX has coordinated 38 Student Vote programs at various levels of elections. In the 2015 federal election, 922,358 students cast ballots from 6,662 schools representing all 338 ridings throughout the country.

The Student Vote program is offered to all Ontario schools at no cost. Participating schools will receive activity guides, campaign posters, ballots and ballot boxes.