SASKATOON – It’s not trigonometry or a lesson in Shakespeare. It’s something far more practical.
On Wednesday and Thursday, elementary and high school students are heading to the polls to take part in the Saskatchewan’s Student Votes program.
From Estevan to Saskatoon, there are 336 schools taking part in a mock election to help understand how to vote and what you need on election day.
“It makes me feel independent and like a good member of society because a lot of people don’t vote these days and it makes me feel like I’m making a change,” said Sheena Tremayne, a Grade 12 student at Nutana Collegiate.
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To help ease the pressure for upcoming voters, teachers are asking students to cast their ballot for one political party, as opposed to picking candidates based on constituencies.
“Sometimes they’re afraid that their one voice, one vote doesn’t count,” said Shelley Hosaruk, an English teacher.
“It’s a mock situation, there’s nothing really attached to it. There’s nothing for them to lose by doing a practice run.”
Roughly 20,000 students are expected to participate across the province.
“It’s immediate. It’s something that they can take forward and hopefully become engaged in the democratic process for the rest of their lives,” said Lori Cline Flath, a learning coordinator at Nutana Collegiate.
Cline Flath says once the results are in, they can help parties know how to target the next generation of voters.
Many students at the school are already 18 and say they have learned what to do on April 4.
“I just know that some parties are better than others and you have to know before you vote. Because if you don’t, you’re wasting your vote. You only get one vote,” said Grade 12 student Seamus Busher.
Final results from the Student Votes program will be revealed on election night.
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