“Pass Egal Wahl” for Schools

Over 1.5 million people in Austria, including more than 50,000 students of voting age, are excluded from elections due to lack of Austrian citizenship. This exclusion negatively impacts young people, particularly those who have grown up in Austria. Teachers face challenges when explaining that "their vote counts" to students who are disenfranchised, which undermines the democratic values of participation.

To counteract this democratic deficit, the project focuses on raising awareness of electoral exclusion by allowing students to participate in a symbolic election. Materials provided to teachers help integrate the topic into classrooms, fostering solidarity among students. Empowering students, promoting democratic values, and encouraging public recognition of the consequences of disenfranchising young people in Austria remain core goals of this initiative.

School acquisition, public relations, project management, ongoing teacher support, and the creation of teaching materials form the backbone of implementation efforts. Training, online workshops, and guidance equip educators to independently run the "Pass Egal Wahl" with their students, while SOS Mitmensch offers a school information package to facilitate the process. Based on their school's capacity, participating teachers can adapt the project accordingly.

Autonomy stands as a central emphasis, as the project enables schools and teachers to run the symbolic election independently through online training and support. Reaching a wide audience and scaling according to each school's capacity becomes possible through this flexible approach. Active citizenship and awareness of electoral exclusion flourish when students participate in the election process through this educational methodology.

Discussions about voting exclusion have been catalyzed by the "Pass Egal Wahl" project, extending beyond Austria to Germany and Switzerland. Both national and regional elections can incorporate this adaptable framework, allowing responsiveness to local political contexts. Regular application across Austria and potential expansion to other countries with similar challenges highlights the versatility of this methodology.