Sep 26, 2008 - 12:42 PM

By Crystal Crimi

DURHAM -- Jessica England's 18th birthday is just days before the Oct. 14 federal election, and with it comes a new right: voting.

A legal studies student at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), she plans to exercise her new right as a Canadian and vote for change.

"I don't like the way politics are going right now," said the Uxbridge resident.

"I like the Liberal views, but I'm still undecided," she said, but added she's not crazy about Stephane Dion.

So far, she's hasn't seen much improvement with the economy and the environment coming from the Conservatives, issues she's concerned about. If Canada cleans up the environment, there won't be so many health problems which would ease up stress on that area too, Jessica said.

She'll be watching the debates to see how legitimate the leaders sound and how they respond to each other, as well as paying attention to local candidates to see who's offering the most for her riding.

"I like the Liberal view but who knows what the Conservative candidate can do for Uxbridge," she said.

She could possibly vote Conservative, but it's unlikely, she said. She's also doubtful about the NDP and Green Party.â?¨ "I really know nothing about (the Green Party), there's just no information about them," Jessica said. "Change would be good, but I don't know enough information about the little parties."

No matter who first-time voters are interested in, it's important to cast their ballot, said Nathalie Demontigny, Elections Canada regional media advisor. Every vote counts because it exercises your democratic right and provides funding for the party, even if the candidate isn't elected, Ms. Demontigny said.

"You can go on and on about why it's important for voting, but basically it's your right," she said.

Students can vote where they live or where their parents live by using a special ballot at their nearest returning office or by mail. The deadline for a special ballot is 6 p.m. Oct. 7 and to use one, they must know the name of the candidate for whom they're voting.

To vote, people need two original pieces of identification - both with their name and at least one with their address. Examples include a health card, birth certificate, student identification, a bill, report card or school transcript.

They make it easy for them, she said.

"Because student voting's not as high as we'd like it to be, there's lots of initiatives for youth," Ms. Demontigny said.

The returning officer at each district talks to campus associations to determine if they want a voting kiosk. There are also community relations officers that act as advisors to returning officers on what they need to do to involve more youth, perhaps by visiting schools.

"We estimated that 37 per cent of young people age 18 to 24 voted in 2004," Ms. Demontigny said. In 2006, it rose to 44 per cent.

Amy England, the UOIT/DC campus student association president, is working with the area's chief returning officer to arrange for the clerk to come out and register students to vote. The association is trying to host a debate on campus as well.

"All of the areas that affect students we would hope to have targeted in the debate," Ms. England said. "If students aren't educated on the issues, that's part of the reason they don't vote."

She's also going around telling people to vote.

Aiden Taylor, a 19-year-old video game development student at Durham College, plans to vote.

"I figure if I've got a say, I might as well use it," Mr. Taylor said. "There's countries where they don't even have a say.

"I like that people get to make the choice and it's the first time I get to have an impact on the outcome so it's kind of exciting."

The Port Perry resident plans on looking into the party's issues before casting his ballot.

"I haven't actually been paying attention to it lately," Mr. Taylor said. "I've been so busy and everything on the news is Barack Obama."

He'll probably look at the party's concerns for the middle class and the poorest of Canadians, health care and tax plans for the future, and environment versus military.

"Definitely not someone who'll be looking for a reason to go to war," he said.

Other students on the shared campus of Durham College and UOIT are opting not to vote.

"If I knew more about it, that's probably the thing that would make me vote," said Michael Nicolas, age 19.

If the election has something to do with education and he is made aware of it, he'll pay more attention.

Rebecca Pinch, an 18-year-old general arts and science student at the college, also doesn't plan on voting.

"I just don't really pay attention to politics and stuff like that," Rebecca said.

"I see their advertisements and stuff. I just don't pay attention to them on television and billboards," she said. "Probably when I'm older I'll vote because I'll pay more attention and read up the stuff."