A flash mob with a purpose aims to put University of Victoria voters into the federal polling booths.
As many as 70 students have taken part in the filming of a flash-mob style "vote mob" at the campus. Now on YouTube, it shows the crowd zipping down the stairs at the McPherson Library, bopping through hallways and generally bringing attention to the May 2 election.
The University of Victoria Students' Society partnered with the group Leadnow.ca to produce a video of the action, society chairman James Coccola said.
"They've been helping to organize vote mobs across the country."
Up to 30 of the so-called vote mobs have been put together or are planned by student groups, Coccola said. The trend started at the University of Guelph, where students were inspired by comedian Rick Mercer's get-out-and-vote message to youth.
"All of the vote mobs are non-partisan," Coccola said. "It's about showing that students are engaged. We're hoping that by doing videos like this students will see people they know, and they'll start a conversation that will encourage them to vote."
The UVic video, played out to the tune of Aretha Franklin's classic recording of the Otis Redding anthem Respect, begins with students writing on a blackboard.
"Want our vote?" they write. "Give us a little respect."
After that, each student selects a sign about a topic of concern and holds it high.
"We created a whole bunch of signs and people got to pick whichever one they felt was important to them," said Coccola, who chose the "child care" sign.
Tara Paterson, who will take over as chairwoman of the society in May, decided on a couple of signs.
"I held up a few. I held up 'democratic reform' and also 'aboriginal rights.' "
Anyone who is 18 on election day can vote. But in the last federal election, voter turnout for 18-to 24-yearolds was just 37 per cent - well below the national turnout of 59 per cent.
Coccola, 24, and the 21year-old Paterson have both voted in past elections, and hope the society can encourage others to exercise their voting rights. Paterson pointed out that the vote mob is part of a larger effort that includes a "voter social" on Saturday at the Ledge Lounge in downtown Victoria.
That will be preceded by a "shuttle mob" for student voters, Coccola said.
"We're renting a van and we're getting people out to the advance polls."
