Electoral Commission
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Campaign to encourage young voters to register is launched across Scotland

A new campaign has been launched across Scotland yesterday which aims to encourage all 15-17 year olds who will be eligible to vote for the first time in the Scottish Parliament election scheduled for May 2016 to sign up and register. 

The initiative is being run by the Electoral Commission with the support of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across the country.

The Commission and EROs will also be working with a range of partners as part of the campaign to encourage as many young voters as possible to add their details to the electoral register before the Scottish Parliament election next year. The campaign will also use both radio and targeted online advertising on social media sites to help to raise awareness about the lowering of the voting age in Scotland.  

The rules on the voting age have now changed meaning that, for the first time, 16 and 17 year olds will be eligible to take part in elections to the Scottish Parliament and at local elections in Scotland. 

Voters in this age group were previously able to take part in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. 

109,593 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland were registered to vote at the referendum and 75% of those surveyed after the poll said they had voted. 97% of those 16-17 year olds who reported having voted said that they would vote again in future elections and referendums.

Andy O’Neill, Head of Scotland Office at the Electoral Commission said:

“At the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, we saw that young people are politically engaged and that they want to vote. But to be able to take part in next year’s important election, you must be registered. It’s easy to apply to register online now atwww.gov.uk/register-to-vote in just a few minutes.”

The campaign coincides with the start of the annual canvass in Scotland, which is when EROs will be asking households across the country to check that the details on the electoral register are correct. 

Andy O’Neill continued:

“The lowering of the voting age also means that 15 year olds can appear on the register so that they are ready to vote when they turn 16. If you’re going to be 16 by the time of the election next May, then register now and get on the register in plenty of time.”
Further information for voters can be found at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk 

Images are available to download here
For further information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704/out of office hours 07789 920 414 or email press@electoralcommission.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. The Electoral Commission’s campaign to encourage 15-17 year olds in Scotland to add their details to the electoral register is funded by the Scottish Government and will run between Monday 3 August until Sunday 20 September. The Commission is working with Electoral Registration Officers across Scotland to support local initiatives to encourage voter registration.

2. In Scotland, the franchise for Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections has been extended to include 16 and 17 year olds. This means that the local government register will include 16 and 17 year olds as full electors. Additionally, 15 year olds are entitled to be included on the local government register as ‘attainers’.

The extension of the franchise takes effect for Scottish Parliamentary elections held on or after 5 April 2016, and for local government elections held on or after 5 May 2016. 16 and 17 year olds will not be able to vote in any elections before these dates.

3. A person can register to vote in Scotland if they are:
• Resident (usually live) in Scotland; and
• Aged 14 or over, but will not be able to vote in Scottish Parliamentary or local government elections until they are 16, and not in UK Parliamentary or European Parliamentary elections until they are 18.
They must also be either:
• a British, Irish or European Union citizen
• a Commonwealth citizen who has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require leave to remain in the UK

4. The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as: detecting crime (e.g. fraud) and checking credit applications.

5. The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. If you are aged 16 or over, your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.

6. Anyone under 16 will not be included on the open register. They will be included on the electoral register, but only Electoral Registration Officers and their staff can usually see the details provided. Details will not be included in any register that is published.

 

Channel website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk

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