It’s time to expand the vote in Manitoba’s local elections

Fort Garry

This fall, I’ll be introducing a private member’s bill to modernize who gets to participate in Manitoba’s municipal and school board elections. The legislation would extend voting rights to permanent residents and lower the voting age to 16 years old, two long-overdue changes that would make our local democracy more fair, inclusive and forward-looking.

Across the world, other jurisdictions are already taking steps in this direction. Austria lowered the voting age to 16 in 2007. Scotland and Wales allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections. And just this year, the UK Parliament has been debating a similar change. In Canada, many communities are actively discussing how to better engage young and underrepresented voices in local decision-making.

There’s a good reason for this: people who vote early are more likely to become lifelong voters. But right now, young people aged 18-24 have the lowest turnout of any age group. Giving them the opportunity to vote while they’re still in school and living at home could change that and create a new generation of engaged citizens. In the case of school board elections, it would also mean that trustees have a direct responsibility to listen to the students they serve.

The bill would also give permanent residents the right to vote in local elections. These are people who have lived in our communities for years, raised families here and paid the same property taxes as everyone else. Many are homeowners. All contribute to our cities and schools. But under the current rules, they have no say in who leads their municipalities or their children’s education. That’s not right.

No single piece of legislation will fix declining voter turnout or ensure representation overnight, but local elections are a great place to begin. This bill would empower more people across Manitoba to participate meaningfully in the communities they help build every day.

It’s time we had a serious conversation about what inclusive democracy looks like in the 21st century. I hope this bill helps spark that conversation and the change that must follow.