But what about the latest mayoral candidate to drop out of the election? Returning trustees seeking re-election for school boards? The upcoming municipal election in Toronto on Oct. 25 is not making waves among youth today.

As future Canadian leaders, we need to vote and participate in the electoral process  to have our voice heard within society. And the Church echoes this sentiment. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote and to defend one’s country.”

We are fortunate in Canada to be able to vote and not be harassed for doing so. Exercising this right, which is taken for granted, is a moral obligation and the dutiful responsibility of each citizen.

My friends often say that one vote doesn’t make a difference or that their opinions don’t matter. If every youth in Canada had that mindset, then yes, their votes wouldn’t matter.

However, if everyone voted and had their say, then wouldn’t they have changed something? It might be cliché to say, but trying to do something is better than doing nothing at all.

Youth political apathy is surprising to me. With so many young people involved in projects helping local causes and providing aid to countries stricken by disaster, I can hardly believe that youth are indeed apathetic.

Clearly, we are active members of our communities and we care about politics.

However, why is it that many youth — often with the ability to vote — do not, resulting in a low voter turnout? According to Elections Canada, only 37.4 per cent of eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 24 cast their vote in the 2008 federal election.

As Catholic youth, it is our duty as stewards to the world to contribute to the common good. Choosing the right leaders who support our needs and follow through with their promises is important. The fact of the matter is this: we can all create positive change and voting is an outlet of change that we, as faithful and responsible citizens, must use.

Next year, I will be able to vote when I turn 18. And I can only hope that by then more youth will come out to create change, expressing their opinion through casting a simple ballot.

We vote for our favourite dancers and singers on reality TV, so why can’t we vote for and support the right leaders to serve our lives?

(Michael Chen, 17, is a Grade 12 student at Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough, Ont.)