Choosing to vote matters.
When you choose not to vote, you are complicit in the problems in your neighbourhoods, schools, laws and your city. Let me be the one to tell you that voting matters. Showing up to the polls matters; voting matters. When you tell me you’re not a political person, you are telling me you do not care about anything, because everything is political.
Everything from gas prices, censorship, student activism and women’s bodies is a political minefield. The problem is that, despite people having access to multiple media platforms, each capable of showing different political content, people still choose to be politically ignorant or apolitical when it comes to showing up to vote.
Voting has been and will always be important. With some countries around the world still denying women the right to vote in 2026, one would think that this would motivate people to vote. Well, you thought wrong. Getting people to the polls is like pulling teeth — painful, but necessary.
People use neutrality as a blanket to hide behind, but this blanket doesn’t extend to those most affected by laws — those unhoused, women, racial minorities and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. People can only afford not to be political when it doesn’t affect them as much.
To blindly ignore municipal, provincial, federal and global problems is a privilege that few get to experience. Being disengaged from politics when it comes to voting is an even bigger issue. I want to hear your opinions, I want to understand how you got to this political conclusion, what news outlets you watch and where you get your information from. I need to hear your opinion — defend your worldviews.
Young people, I am so tired of you hiding behind busyness as an excuse not to vote, and I say this as a young person. Don’t let someone else decide your vote for you. When you abstain from voting, it’s like handing your car keys to someone you know can’t drive. You are actively choosing to hand over policies that determine rights and laws to whoever does vote.
It may be interesting to note that many young people in Winnipeg may still be unsure of who to vote for. A survey of a representative sample of 600 Winnipeg adults conducted between Aug. 28 and Sept. 14 found that 51 per cent remain undecided about whom they would vote for as mayor.
I would like to raise a question — why are we, as young people, unsure of who to vote for?
I think it’s a mix of misinformation spread across social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, that often share opinions without factual backing, and an overwhelming number of people just don’t care enough.
If you care about people, you should go out and vote. If not for you, then for people who can’t vote yet, like teens. They don’t have the right to vote yet, but they are directly affected by the policies set by the people you choose to vote for.
Every vote matters. Election decisions have been decided by just a handful of votes. So when you think voting is too much trouble, next time also think about how policies affect not just you but everyone around you.
Show up to the 2026 Municipal Council and School Boards Election on Oct. 28. If you’re really so busy, participate in advanced voting, which is available until Oct. 23. Check your polling station for the election details and research candidates before showing up on election day. Bring two pieces of ID with your address on them and know that your VOTE MATTERS!
