CIVIX Student Vote Canada Results say Students in Canada would have elected a Conservative Minority Government
Abacus Data and CIVIX, a registered charity dedicated to strengthening democracy through civics and citizenship education for school-aged youth, have had a long-standing partnership working together on CIVIX’s cornerstone programs to track, understand, and amplify student civic engagement.
For the 2025 federal election we are partnering with CIVIX to share the results of the Student Vote Canada program.
Student Vote uses the election as a teachable moment. After learning about democracy and electoral process, researching the parties and platforms, and discussing the issues with their peers and families, students cast ballots for the official candidates running in their school’s electoral district.
Student Vote is a program of CIVIX. Student Vote Canada is presented in collaboration with Elections Canada.
This current tally includes results from 5,900 schools and 900,793 (870,340 valid votes and 30,453 rejected votes). Here’s how students cast their ballots.
—
This year’s Student Vote Canada results shifted significantly from 2021, with a surge in support for the Conservatives, who (based on seat count) went from third place in 2021 to first place in 2025. The Liberals also experienced a jump in seats from 2021.
Much of this vote share is due to a sharp drop in support for the NDP between 2021 and 2025, a similar trend seen among the youngest cohort in our general population surveys.
In 2025 students across Canada elected a Conservative Party minority government with the Liberal Party as the official opposition.
In Student Vote Canada 2025:
The Conservative Party was elected in 165 ridings (48.10% of the seats) and held 36.44% of the popular vote.
The Liberal Party was elected in 145 ridings (42.27% of the seats) and held 31.72% of the popular vote.
The Bloc Québécois were elected in 18 ridings (5.25% of the seats) and held 2.08% of the popular vote.
The New Democratic Party was elected in 13 ridings (3.79% of the seats) and held 14.54% of the popular vote.
The Green Party was elected in 2 ridings (0.58% of the seats) and held 7.45% of the popular vote.
How does this compare to General Election Results?
Students would have elected a different government than Canadians over 18. With the popular vote, students were far more supportive of the NDP and Green Party, leaving less support for the Conservatives and Liberals. Still, the majority of the vote was captured by these two parties for both students and Canadians over 18.
How does this compare to the Student Vote Canada results in 2021?
In 2021 students across Canada elected a Liberal minority government with the NDP as the official opposition.
2025 saw a significant shift among students towards the Conservative Party, who nearly doubled their seat count, and a sharp decline in NDP support, which dropped from 108 seats in 2021 to just 13 in 2025.
In 2021…
The Liberal Party was elected in 118 ridings (34.9% of the seats), and held 24.1% of the popular vote. In 2025 the Liberals won 27 more seats and their popular vote share grew around 8 points.
The New Democratic Party was elected in 108 ridings (32% of the seats) and held 28.5% of the popular vote. In 2025 the New Democratic Party won 95 fewer seats and their popular vote share dropped nearly 14 points.
The Conservative Party was elected in 88 ridings (26% of the seats) and held 25.1% of the popular vote. In 2025 the Conservatives won 77 more seats and their popular vote share grew over 11 points.
The Bloc Québécois were elected in 21 ridings (6.2% of the seats) and held 2.1% of the popular vote. In 2025 the Bloc Québécois won 3 fewer seats and their popular vote remained stable.
The Green Party was elected in 3 ridings (0.9% of the seats) and held 9.8% of the popular vote. In 2025 the Green Party won 1 fewer seat and their popular vote share dropped just over two points.
What was Shaping the Student Mindset?
Between December 2024 and March 2025 students from across Canada participated in the Student Budget Consultation program and responded to this survey to indicate their priorities and preferences for focus in the federal landscape.
Youth in Canada wanted the government focus on the cost of living, housing and healthcare. They say these are also the most important steps the federal government could take to support young Canadians. The top federal priorities that would best support Canadian youth look similar to those we see elsewhere: decreasing the cost of living and everyday essentials, increasing housing affordability and improving access to mental health supports.
Though not a main focus when the survey launched, the relationship between Canada and the United States emerged as a key issues for students who participated in March/April.
The full results of Student Vote Canada 2025 can be viewed here.
THE UPSHOT
A strong shift from the NDP to the Conservatives is not unlike the shift we saw among the youngest cohort of Canada’s voting age population during the last couple of weeks. For younger Canadians cost-of-living continues to dominate top concerns and likely shaped voting behavior for young Canadians, including students.
We will be learning more about what exactly motivated students to cast their ballots and what was driving their vote- with more shared in the coming weeks as part of our post-election coverage.
ABOUT ABACUS DATA
We are Canada’s most sought-after, influential, and impactful polling and market research firm. We are hired by many of North America’s most respected and influential brands and organizations.
We use the latest technology, sound science, and deep experience to generate top-flight research-based advice to our clients. We offer global research capacity with a strong focus on customer service, attention to detail, and exceptional value.
And we are growing throughout all parts of Canada and the United States and have capacity for new clients who want high quality research insights with enlightened hospitality.
Our record speaks for itself: we were one of the most accurate pollsters conducting research during the 2021 Canadian election following up on our outstanding record in the 2019, 2015, and 2011 federal elections.
Contact us with any questions.
Find out more about how we can help your organization by downloading our corporate profile and service offering.