RRCSA launches student voting campaign
Evan Matthews, Beat Reporter
With campaign signs scattered across the city, students can turn to Get Out The Vote for federal election updates.
THE PROJECTOR/ Evan Matthews
Checking that next text could get you more information on the federal election.
Red River College Students’ Association (RRCSA) is launching a campaign called Get Out The Vote, aimed at increasing the percentage of students who vote and combat student apathy toward elections.
The non-partisan campaign encourages students to make a pledge to vote, regardless of which party they vote for. As the federal election comes up, students will receive information blasts via text or email from the RRCSA. The information lets students know when debates are and what they are about, when election related events are being held and when and where they can vote.
Look for Get Out The Vote volunteers at both campuses as they gather pledges to vote from students.
One person who’s looking for more information is business administration student Cansas Flett.
“As a mother, my main concern is raising my family while I go to school,” said Flett. “I started by doing research on the parties’ websites, but more information is always a good thing.”
The RRCSA is a member of the Canadian Alliance of Student’s Associations (CASA), and is taking on the campaign after seeing the success of other CASA schools.
“The [student associations of] University of Lethbridge, University of Alberta, and University of Calgary are all members of CASA,” said RRCSA president Ben McDonald. “They’ve already done this campaign, and they’ve seen what it can do.”
Take note: Get Out The Vote
RRCSA launches student voting campaign
EVAN
MATTHEWS
BEAT REPORTER
This past May, the NDP won a majority government over the Conservatives in Alberta, marking the first time in 44 years the Conservatives were not in power. The shift was largely attributed to an influx of youth voters.
The NDP recognized who put them in power, McDonald said, and the province revised their budget, re-allocating millions of dollars into post-secondary education.
“It does matter who makes up government, and it does matter what affects students,” said McDonald. “We need to get out and vote, so the youth vote is recognized as a viable demographic.”
The RRCSA is planning to hold a kegger on election night, Oct. 19, at The Cave on the Notre Dame Campus.
“We’ll be giving away swag, and some prizes to students,” said McDonald. “Just a few more things to get students involved.”
At the kegger, election results will be broadcast live and political party-themed drinks will be sold. For fun, the RRCSA will compare the political party drink sales to the actual election results.
