Vote campaigns have changed over the years, and it is clear that this year social media will be a large part of student voting campaigns across Canada. This past week, Be The Vote and Women in Toronto Politics hosted a public conversation on engaging the Youth Vote in the federal elections. What's unique about this? Not only was it live tweeted by attendees, but it also allowed youth to engage in the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #youthtalk42.
#YouthTalk42 is the go to location to hear from youth, students, non-profit, democratic advocates, and individuals across Canada interested in engaging the Youth vote in the upcoming election. It is here that people can voice questions, share event ideas, and engage in a larger conversation about a really big issue. Why is it that youth in Canada have chosen not to participate in electoral politics? Are they really not politically engaged? Or is Canada not recognizing their political involvement? You can check out the highlights of the conversation (which took place earlier this year) via storify (click here).
We're a big fan of #Youthtalk42, and encourage everyone to follow along and join in the conversation in the upcoming weeks. We believe it is important to engage in these opportunities, and show the rest of Canada that youth are politically minded and ready to engage in politics. But it is equally important that youth have someone to engage with in this conversation. It may not be the perfect solution, but #youthtalk42 is a rare opportunity for a big political discussion to take place surrounding student issues -- and maybe (if we're lucky) it will lead to our political candidates paying attention the issues which matter to the elusive youth vote.
It's also important to recognize that relying on Social Media excludes many Youth voters in Canada who may not be accessing our message. Which is why talking about voting with your friends, your family, and your residence floor mates is so important.
Throughout our campaign, we'll be participating and encouraging students at Trent University to discuss issues using #youthtalk42 and #trentvotes. So if you have a question for a candidate (hey, we may even use it in the debate!), want to discuss political ideas, or want to discuss the upcoming events for Trent Votes... get connected on Twitter and Facebook!
#YouthTalk42 is the go to location to hear from youth, students, non-profit, democratic advocates, and individuals across Canada interested in engaging the Youth vote in the upcoming election. It is here that people can voice questions, share event ideas, and engage in a larger conversation about a really big issue. Why is it that youth in Canada have chosen not to participate in electoral politics? Are they really not politically engaged? Or is Canada not recognizing their political involvement? You can check out the highlights of the conversation (which took place earlier this year) via storify (click here).
We're a big fan of #Youthtalk42, and encourage everyone to follow along and join in the conversation in the upcoming weeks. We believe it is important to engage in these opportunities, and show the rest of Canada that youth are politically minded and ready to engage in politics. But it is equally important that youth have someone to engage with in this conversation. It may not be the perfect solution, but #youthtalk42 is a rare opportunity for a big political discussion to take place surrounding student issues -- and maybe (if we're lucky) it will lead to our political candidates paying attention the issues which matter to the elusive youth vote.
It's also important to recognize that relying on Social Media excludes many Youth voters in Canada who may not be accessing our message. Which is why talking about voting with your friends, your family, and your residence floor mates is so important.
Throughout our campaign, we'll be participating and encouraging students at Trent University to discuss issues using #youthtalk42 and #trentvotes. So if you have a question for a candidate (hey, we may even use it in the debate!), want to discuss political ideas, or want to discuss the upcoming events for Trent Votes... get connected on Twitter and Facebook!