Youth Electoral Engagement in Canada

This study uses existing data sources to provide a profile of young Canadians and an overview of what is currently known about the decline in youth electoral participation in Canada. Among its key findings, the study shows that the decline of voter turnout among youth is a long-term trend that started in the 1970s, and is the main reason that overall rates of turnout have been going down in Canada. While existing research has been unable to fully explain this trend, it does identify a number of factors that are linked to voting. The authors also make recommendations for future research.

The observations and conclusions found in this paper are those of the authors.

Youth Electoral Engagement in Canada (PDF format)