This guide has compiled the Nordic countries’ long and diverse experience of organising elections for young people. Although all Nordic countries have their own ways of operating, they all have the same core goal: to strengthen the civic competence of young people and lower the threshold for participating in democratic processes.
The good practices presented in the guide show that successful elections for young people require long-term work, sufficient resources and commitment from many different operators. The support of the central government, from direct responsibility for organising to cooperation with the organisation sector, has proven to be a significant factor in the coverage and continuity of elections for young people. At the same time, civil society operators provide flexibility and a strong connection to the everyday lives of young people. Both operator models have their own strengths and, at best, they complement each other.
The impact of elections for young people must be examined in the long term, and this is promoted by systematic data collection and evaluation. Research shows that elections for young people increase young people’s understanding of political processes, strengthen their trust in democracy and increase their intention to vote in the future. It is particularly important that democracy education and elections for young people offer all young people the opportunity to practice voting and learn about politics, regardless of their socio-economic background. Democracy education and elections for young people must be equally accessible to all young people so that even the most vulnerable young people can strengthen their civic competence.
Elections for young people are not just a voting exercise; they are a concrete way of showing young people that their voice matters and that democracy is something they can and should participate in. Democracy education increases the understanding that politics is not something distant and unfamiliar; instead, it is part of the young people’s everyday lives and future. This experience will bear fruit for years to come as young people reach the voting age and become active citizens.
High-quality elections for young people also show young people that others want to hear their voices and that their participation in the society matters. The development of civic competence does not happen on its own – the operators of society must create the structures and opportunities that enable every young person to practice their democratic skills and thus grow into a citizen who has strong civic competence and participates in the society.