Democracy Watch, a lobby group advocating for more democratic government practices, is now calling for the fixed election dates in four provinces, including Manitoba, to be pushed back in order to accommodate busy students and parents.

“Talk to anyone with kids, and they’re crazy busy,” said Duff Conacher, founder of Democracy Watch, pointing out that Winnipeg’s municipal election, held on Oct. 27 of last year, was more accommodating.

“If there are good reasons to set the date in that case, then why set the date earlier for provincial fixed election dates?”

Across Canada, provincial legislatures have passed fixed election date laws, often choosing early autumn as the best time to hold an election.

Citizens in four provinces, including Manitoba and Ontario, will be going to the polls in early October and Conacher, himself a parent, believes that many people are simply too busy to pay attention and that university students are unnecessarily hindered by the date.

“The youth vote has the lowest turnout and registration is one of the problems,” he said.

Conacher claims that students who move into cities to attend university are not able to provide identification with their new address on it, such as utility bills, until later in the school year.

Government-issued ID that displays a current address is firmly required to vote in federal and municipal elections. However, according to Mary Scanderbag, operations manager for Elections Manitoba, the identification rules at the provincial level go a long way to accommodate students.

“We have a process whereby the voter can declare, and take an oath, that this is their current address. So if you don’t have an ID with your address on it ... you simply make the declaration that this is your current address,” she said.

Scanderbag added that, even if you are living in residence at the University of Winnipeg and your driver’s licence contains a Virden, Man. address, you can simply swear an oath that you currently live in McFeetors Hall.

According to the Manitoba Elections Act, if you have been added to the voters list during the enumeration process you do not need to provide identification proving your address.

Additionally, if you are looking to be added to the list when you go to vote on Oct. 4, but do not have valid ID proving your current address, an oath will be accepted as long as the electoral officer is satisfied that you are who you claim to be.

Scanderbag also emphasized that Elections Manitoba works diligently to get parents, and their children, more involved in the electoral process.

She added that advanced polling is open from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 across the province, including at the University of Winnipeg.

“There are pros and cons for whenever (the election) might be,” she said.

Published in Volume 66, Number 3 of The Uniter (September 15, 2011)