On 12 February, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed on a new participation opportunity for youngsters in Latvia – Signal elections, also known as mock elections. Signing parties were the Ministry of Education and Science, the European Movement in Latvia, the Latvian Youth Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia. The first mock elections in schools will take place from 19 May to 31 May.
Signal elections are a method of civic education inspired by the Nordic countries and their long history of civic participation of youth. Main reasons for holding such elections at secondary schools:
- Strengthen the civic competence of young people in Latvia,
- Increase the participation of young people in official elections upon reaching legal voting age,
- Explain the electoral process, its meaning and necessity,
- Strengthen critical thinking and ability to analyse programmes of political parties,
- Develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that are important for a modern citizen,
- Increase public interest and understanding of young people’s voices and forms of digital democracy.
Schools will be provided with methodological materials on methods for engaging young people in discussions about elections, along with strategies for capturing and maintaining their attention and interest in the topic. Teachers will receive guidance on educating students about the electoral process, its significance and role in a democratic society. They will also explain how to bring about positive change in their town, using democratic methods.
This year, the Signal elections will be launched as a pilot project in 15 municipalities, randomly selected on the day the Memorandum of Cooperation was signed. In the lead-up to the elections, schools will host workshops where young people can propose changes needed in their municipalities. These proposals will then be shared with representatives of political parties running in the municipal elections, with the aim of incorporating them into their party programmes, whenever possible.
“Democracy does not happen on its own. It must be nurtured and adapted to a changing world. Elections are a cornerstone of democratic governance, yet declining voter turnout is a growing challenge in many countries, particularly among young people. Their participation is decreasing at an alarming rate. Mock elections in schools are a powerful tool for educating students about democratic processes and sparking their interest in civic engagement. Such elections are held in all Nordic countries, encouraging youngsters to take a more active part in political life and building their confidence in their ability to influence national developments. There have been attempts to introduce this tradition in Latvia, and we are proud to be part of this project, which will, for the first time, allow Latvian schoolchildren on a national level to try out the electoral process.”
Stefans Eriksson, Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia
The online ballot will be open to youngsters aged 16 to 17 and will run from 19 May to 31 May. Signal elections will feature the same parties and candidates as the upcoming municipal elections on 7 June. The results of the mock elections will be announced on 7 June at 20:01.
The project is organised by the European Movement in Latvia in close collaboration with the Latvian Youth Council. It is implemented with financial support from the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia and informational support from the Ministry of Education and Science. The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by Anda Čakša, Minister of Education and Science of Latvia, Andris Gobiņš, President of the European Movement in Latvia, Inga Birzgale, President of the Latvian Youth Council, and Stefan Eriksson, Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia.
For more details on the Signal elections visit www.signalvelesanas.lv.
