P.E.I. youth learn about electoral reform

About 50 people attended Young Voters of Prince Edward Island'selectoral reform event at the Pourhouse on Monday night, in advance of a plebiscite on the Island.

Islanders will be asked to choose between five different electoral systems in the plebiscite scheduled for Oct. 29 - Nov. 7.

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Jesse Hitchcock,the co-founderof Young Voters of P.E.I. said this was the turnout they were hoping for.

"It's a small enough group that the mingling isn't totally overwhelming and people can still talk one on one and learn what each other knows."

Event only for youth 19+

In this plebiscite, 16- and 17-year olds will be able to vote, but this event was at a bar so it was limited todrinking age and over.

This also left out the 18-year-olds who can vote in regular elections.

Hitchcock said right now the group is really focused on their demographic which is the voting age.

"[Young voters of P.E.I.] established last year, so we just have a really good base of voters in this age bracket," said Hitchcock.

"We're doing what we do well and Elections PEI is doing an amazing job at educating the 16,17, and18-year-olds in high school."

When asked if there would be any future events that would involve the younger ages, Hitchcock said they will wait and see.

"We have a poll up there that says how much do you know about electoral reform before and after the event so we'll kind of guage those numbers after we're finished and see where we're at," she said.

"We'll be posting educational resources as well throughout the month and those are accessible to anyone in ourFacebookgroup."

'A resounding impact'

Jason Hogan, age 27, said he came out to the event because he thinks P.E.I. does need a change in the electoral system.

He said the upcoming plebiscite is significant.

"This election is actually probably a lot more important than a lot of provincial or federal elections, in that you influence not just one election but the elections that come year after year after year," he said.

"This is an election that's going to have a resounding impact and not going to be necessarily undone, like you might have with the first past the post system and switching from a majority Liberal to a majority Conservative to a majority Liberal and back and forth."

'Explained in plain English'

Rebecca Griffin is 23-years-old, from Saint John, N.B. but has lived in Charlottetown for four years.

She Googled 'plebiscite' while she was at the event, and said she wants to get as much information as she can.

"I am openly admitting that I don't know the lingo, I don't know what's going on so I just want to learn as much as I possibly can all at once so I go ahead and do what's right," she said.

Griffin has been voting since she was 18 and never plans on stopping.

"I'm just totally learning what's going on right now and I think it's really important for the voices of young voters in particular, I mean, everybody, but young voices, toget their opinions out there and their voices heard."

Kelly Gillis, a25-year-old from Charlottetown, wanted to learn more about the different options.

"The pamphlets helped but also just talking to different people and having it explained in plain English was really helpful."

The plebiscite will allow for online and telephone voting, with physical polls open Nov. 4 - 5.

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