Question:

International IDEA is carrying out research on entry points for EMBs to promote youth participation throughout the electoral cycle in Africa. Notably, engagement can take place in various areas: engaging youth as voters (i.e. aiming eventually to increase youth turnout); engaging youth as electoral contestants (i.e. aiming towards increasing the number of youth in elected positions); and engaging youth in the actual management of the elections (i.e aiming at the representation and capacity of youth in the organisation of electoral processes).

In this regard, we are looking for examples of how EMBs around the world have gone about this issue. What kind of innovative (beyond the more traditional civic and voter education approach) has been used by EMBs - how did EMBs go about such activities and what were the results/lessons learned?

Summary of Responses:

One practitioner noted that the parliament in Peru has legislated quotas, or reserved seats, for women and youth, with a statutory candidate quota for people under 30 of 20% imposed on all political parties in local and regional elections. In 2015, the electoral commission in Zanzibar adopted a Gender and Social Inclusion Policy outlining the commission’s commitment to equal access to voter registration processes, voter and civic education, and election observation. It also discusses the prevention and mitigation of election related violence against women, youth, and people with disabilities.

In Ghana there is a special body established under the constitution called the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). The NCCE collaborates with the Electoral Commission of Ghana to effectively organise and educate the public. The NCCE’s mandate is to create, sustain, and increase awareness of constitutional democracy in Ghana. Ahead of the elections, the NCCE normally trains “youth aspirants” on the roles and responsibilities of elected members of parliament. It also entreats the youth to champion the cause of peace and tolerance before, during, and after elections.

The electoral commissions in Botswana and South Africa partner with ministries responsible for education to educate the public on democratic values and electoral processes in their respective countries. In South Africa, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) also holds an annual National Youth Summit to develop an agenda for effective youth participation in democratic electoral processes. Prior to the 2014 national elections, the commission launched the ‘IXSA’ (‘I Vote South Africa’) campaign to encourage youth registration, participation, and engagement. The campaign involved celebrities in an effort to make politics more accessible to youth and was also rolled out on television, radio, and the Internet (including social networks). 

The Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) has partnered with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to support the recruitment of ad hoc voter registration and polling station workers. The INEC also trains and deploys young people enrolled in the NYSC program to work as polling staff on Election Day.

Another practitioner provided examples of practices in the United States that have increased the engagement of young people on Election Day. One study that examined Washington State and Arizona found that young people are more likely than older people to register to vote online, and those young people are more likely to vote than their counterparts who register through the mail or in-person. Another tactic that has increased youth participation is the pre-registration of 16- and 17-year olds who have not yet reached voting age. Efforts to “pre-register” young voters are often tied to school civics classes and/or obtaining a driver’s license. Finally, the Presidential Commission of Election Administration’s 2014 report recommends recruiting high school and college students as poll workers to aid poll worker recruitment and retention while providing valuable civic education to young people.

Examples of Related Resources on ACE:

• UNDP: Enhancing Youth Political Participation throughout the Electoral Cycle (2013).
• LA APLICACIÓN SIMULTÁNEA DE LAS LEYES DE CUOTA DE GÉNERO, JÓVENES Y NATIVOS EN LAS ELECCIONES LOCALES 
• Inter-Parliamentary Union: Youth Participation in National Parliaments 
• Consolidated Reply: Promoting youth in elected positions 
• Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia: Participation of Youth in Elections

Contributing Members:

There are a few practices in the U.S. that I think could be relevant to your study. The first two aim to improve registration rates and turnout among young people, while the third seeks to improve election management and engage youth in the process.

1) Online voter registration: a study has found that young people in the U.S. are more likely to take advantage of online voter registration than older people; and that young people who register online are more likely to vote than young people who register through the mail or in-person.

2) Pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds: a study has shown that young people who are "pre-registered" before they turn 18 are more likely to vote once they are of age. Pre-registration efforts are often linked to high school civics classes and/or drivers licencing (individuals are eligible to receive drivers licenses at age 16 in the U.S.).

3) Utilizing high school and college students as poll workers: the Presidential Commission on Election Administration's report recommends that election managers should recruit high school and college students to serve as poll workers. This helps with the persistent challenge of poll worker recruitment and retention, and offers a civic education opportunity (and sometimes academic credit) to the students. Anecdotally, having young people at the polling place can also improve election management when electronic voting machines or electronic pollbooks are utilized, as young people tend to be more technologically savvy than older poll workers.

En mi país, se ejecuta a través de las llamadas CUOTAS JUVENILES que, de acuerdo a la norma electoral vigente ses del 20% de una lista al congreso o cargos de regidores. Para mayor información visite esta página del Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (organismo constitucional peruano encargado de la administracion de justicia electoral): http://www.infogob.com.pe/Reportes/investigacion/doctra_parte_1.pdf

No hay campaña civica obligatoria a pesar de que el voto es obligatorio. Solo hay campañas de cómo votar cuando se convoca a una elección.