Young People Urged To Vote

One year on from the independence referendum, young people are being urged to register to safeguard their future right to vote.

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum and the Electoral Commission is urging all young people to mark the occasion by ensuring they are registered to vote for next year’s Scottish Parliament election.

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.

Following the success of young people’s participation in the referendum the rules on the voting age were changed to enable 16 and 17 year olds to vote in elections to the Scottish Parliament and at local elections in Scotland, but only if they have registered to vote in advance of the poll. The lowering of the voting age also means that 15 year olds can apply to register.

Anyone can apply to register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

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

“This time last year at the Scottish independence referendum 16 and 17 year olds showed how much they cared about politics and wanted to get involved in the debate. For the first time, this age group can also vote in the Scottish Parliamentary Elections next May, but only if they register to do so. You can register in just a couple of minutes so we're asking everyone who will be 16 next May to get online and do it now at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

The call to action from the Commission forms part of a wider Commission social media campaign 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 ‘Are you #in’ campaign runs from 3 August to 20 September’.