Students voting? This is not an April Fool’s joke. Students gear up for May 2nd, take vote pledges, and challenge other campuses.

Activated by Rick Mercer’s March 29th rant on youth voter engagement, students at Guelph University are proving that youth will be “getting their vote on” with a viral video challenge to other campuses. Rick’s March 29th Rant- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhgYhcTl95w

On March 31st, the students responsible for last winter’s Bill C-311 Strip Mob filmed a much anticipated Vote Mob as a follow-up and call to action. To a chorus of “The Dog Days are Over,” students shed the winter garb and took campus by surprise in celebration of democracy.

“Youth voting rates have historically been quite low in Canada,” says co-organizer Yvonne Su, a student at U of Guelph. “This is an opportunity to spice up voting, because it’s so much more than civic engagement.”

Additionally, students are performing wacky stunts in exchange for pledges from their peers to make informed votes. For example, enthused students are committing undesirable haircuts, free massages, naps in unlikely places, and more in order to engage fellow youth in conversation and action regarding Canadian democracy.

“Young people across this country are hungry for a different type of politics. The event at University of Guelph today shows how committed we are as a generation to regenerating Canadian politics,” says Jamie Biggar, Executive Director of Leadnow.ca. “Politicians need to listen, because young people want to vote for the issues that matter to them.”

“When students hit the polls, elections will never be the same,” added co-organizer,
Gracen Johnson. “I believe youth are apprehensive, not apathetic. That’s why we’re
partnering with Leadnow.ca to show political leaders that we’ll be voting for the Canada we want, not the latest ad campaign.”