Student voting initiative proving popular

The University of Prince Edward Island is one of many universities taking part in a new pilot project by Elections Canada this week, and it is creating a lot of enthusiasm.

Forty polling stations have been set up at campuses, friendship centres and community centres across the country. The goal is to get younger voters to cast a ballot in the upcoming federal election.

John Rix, vice president academic and external for the UPEI Student Union, said there has been a lot of success on campus in getting students to pledge to vote.

"Every single person I talk to on campus is so happy to get to vote, they're so engaged," said Rix.

"I didn't expect that we would have 1,000 people but we do. And we have more people coming in every day pledging to vote."

Fewer than 40 per cent of Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in the last election.

Students can vote on campus from today through Thursday.