HSF aims to increase voter turnout in March election

Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by Alicea Knott in Life

NOEL GRZETIC
LIFE REPORTER

Candidates for VP Campus Life at an open forum on Tuesday. (Noel Grzetic)

The Humber Students’ Federation executive director Ercole Perrone said HSF is committed to raising awareness of next month’s election and increasing student turnout.

“We’ve flirted with shutting down the games room so that students get engaged in what’s going on elsewhere,” said Perrone. “We’ll probably continue to do things like that, whether it’s a bit of shock or edgy things to get students aware of what’s happening.”
HSF has kept track of voter turnout over the last three years. Three years ago, 6.7 per cent of students participated. Perrone said the numbers are steadily rising and this year’s goal is 20 per cent.
Although the numbers are in line with other university and colleges, there is room for improvement, he said.
“For me it’s not a positive sign,” said Perrone. “It’s not reflective of the interest students should take in the student government.”
That lack of interest is exactly what prompted Ilona Dougherty to start Apathy is Boring, a Canadian organization devoted to increasing youth involvement in the democratic process. She said apathy exists in part because of the disconnect between our vote and its effect on our everyday lives.
“I think part of it is that we feel that we aren’t represented.”
Brenda O’Neill, an associate professor at the University of Calgary who researches youth engagement, said “there is that genuine unhappiness with the degree to which a vote actually matters.”
Perrone said the March 8 to 12 election is an important opportunity for voters, because those elected make “all key decisions” for the HSF.
“The five students that become executives are being paid by resources that all students are contributing to,” said Perrone. “You want to make sure that they are representing your interest and your needs.”
Job descriptions on the HSF website advertise a salary of $34,000 for president; other positions pay $20.19 per hour during the school year.
Perrone said he doesn’t think voter turnout is solely HSF’s responsibility.
“It falls on candidates to inspire people to go vote, it falls on students to get themselves informed and go vote.”