What it measures
Dimension: Participation
This indicator represents the gap between age groups with the highest and lowest voter turnout. In 2011, older adults (age 65 to 74 years) had the highest voter turnout (75%), while younger adults (age 18 to 24 years) had the lowest voter turnout (39%). By comparison, in the 2015 election, participation increased to 79% for older adults and, encouragingly, to 57% among young adults. The large increase in young adult voters will help to ensure that politicians consider the interests of all age groups in their electoral platforms, considering there was concern in the past that political platforms mainly targeted issues most relevant to regular voters (i.e., older Canadians).
Why this matters
It is important that Canadians of all ages exercise their right to vote so that politicians meet diverse needs and interests of all Canadians, regardless of age.