When pop star Sabrina Carpenter announced that HeadCount, a non-profit organization focused on democratic engagement, would again be present at her Short n’ Sweet tour dates across the U.S. this fall, I was disappointed to realize there is no equivalent partnership for Canadian artists.
HeadCount works alongside performers at concerts and festivals and has helped register over 1.7 million voters since its founding. Over the next month, fans of Carpenter, mainly young women, will continue attending her shows to see the star’s glittering performance in what feels like a dream house slumber party.
Alongside the fun, upbeat vibes of the concert, fans are provided with a chance to learn about civic action and get involved in the democratic process right on the concert floor.
During the first leg of her tour, HeadCount said that Carpenter’s partnership led to 35,814 registered voters and reached another 263,087 potential voters through information and outreach.
It’s easy to dismiss these initiatives as distinctly American, especially given the often-chaotic nature of politics south of the border. The reality is that Canadian politics, while generally less dramatic, still struggles with youth voter turnout and engagement.
Our mild political attitudes may be a blessing, but they also mean that many young people feel disconnected from politics or simply do not see the point in participating. According to Elections Canada, turnout among eligible voters aged 18 to 24 was just 46.7 per cent in the 2021 federal election, well below the overall turnout of 62.2 per cent.
So, how can civic engagement be made relevant, exciting and accessible for Canadian youth? One answer could be to take a page out of Carpenter’s playbook and look to the concert stage. Imagine if more Canadian stars like Shawn Mendes, Tate McRae or The Weeknd teamed up with non-partisan organizations to promote political participation at their shows — this approach would be a direct way to bring democratic engagement out of the abstract and into real life.
There is already precedent for this in Canada. During the 2008 federal election, the non-profit organization Apathy is Boring hosted four concerts in Quebec City, Halifax and Montreal. The aim was to increase youth voting and encourage them to understand “what it means to have a voice as a citizen.” While not as prominent as HeadCount’s efforts in the U.S., these events show that the concept can work here too.
Since we haven’t seen anything similar since 2008, some might wonder if such partnerships are even legal in Canada. The answer is yes. This is because non-partisan civic engagement activities, such as concerts, that encourage voting are not regulated by Elections Canada outside of official election periods. This is as long as they do not promote or oppose any specific party or candidate. In other words, the focus is on participation rather than pushing a political agenda.
Importantly, in-person engagement at concerts could help address some of the barriers to youth voter participation. Media campaigns, while widespread, often get lost in endless scrolling or fail to reach those who avoid politics online. In contrast, concerts are spaces where youth already gather, often with friends and an openness to new experiences. Meeting a non-profit volunteer face-to-face, getting questions answered or simply seeing that voting is something their peers are doing could make a difference for many Canadian youth.
Of course, this is not a magic solution. Issues of trust, accessibility and civic education still need to be addressed at the policy level. However, as artists and influencers, Canadian musicians are in a unique position to make democracy feel hopeful, interesting and even fun.
Since Canadian politics is often seen as boring, it is all the more reason to bring democracy to where the excitement is — the live stage. It is time to promote engagement among youth and make voter participation the headline act.
