P.E.I. students under voting age to cast 'mock' ballot
Referendum on electoral reform adds new twist for students
They may be too young to officially vote, but students in dozens of schools across P.E.I. will still cast a ballot during the provincial election campaign — this time with an added twist.
The organization CIVIX is working with Elections PEI to deliver the program called Student Vote.
Students learn about the election process, the candidates in their district, the issues — and then cast a "mock" vote at their school on election day.
Frédérique Dombrowski of CIVIX says the referendum on electoral reform is adding a new element to Student Vote on P.E.I. this year.
"That's definitely been an extra interest for students because on top of learning about the electoral process, they also learn about the reasons why certain people might want to change that for something that they believe is better and more representative, and also why some people want to keep it as is."
About 5,000 Island students in grades four to 12 are expected to cast a vote on election day, April 23.