Aleksi Toiviainen

Aleksi Toiviainen (he/him) is the co-founder and general coordinator of Vote16 Canada.

Aleksi frequently writes and speaks about youth civic engagement and democratic reform, and has managed issues-based political campaigns at all three levels of government. He has led national mobilization initiatives involving more than 100 civil society organizations, including UNICEF Canada, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Federation of Students, Apathy is Boring, Canadian Women’s Foundation, and Operation Black Vote Canada.

Since its founding in 2021, Vote16 Canada has secured voting rights for 16-year-olds in Toronto’s neighbourhood polls, produced a formal committee recommendation in British Columbia, and passed several local motions urging provincial and federal governments to extend the voting age. To date, 20 municipal councils and school boards across Canada have adopted formal policies in support of Vote16.

Aleksi also serves as the public affairs assistant for the Samara Centre for Democracy. His work has been featured in the Hill Times, CBC, National Observer, and the Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law.