Youth voting to go digital

Under-18s casting their vote in the next youth election in Plymouth will be able to swap their ‘tick’ for a ‘click’ as on-line voting is launched.

Plymouth City Council is introducing electronic voting for the UK Youth Parliament election to encourage more young people to have their say and get involved in local issues affecting them.

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the Labour-led Council and Councillor Nicky Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young people, will host an event to launch on-line voting on Friday 13 December in the Council House.

Representatives from the city’s secondary schools, academies and further education colleges will learn about the new on-line voting system and be asked to return to their schools and encourage young people to vote.

Councillor Evans, explains: “We are living in a digital age and there is an expectation, particularly from young people who are completely at ease with digital technology, that an on-line option is available for most tasks. Unsurprisingly the latest Ofcom survey showed that 77 percent of 15 to 24 year olds regularly use social networking. In our commitment to ensure we are democratic and encouraging young people to have their say, on-line voting is really important.”

MPs Gary Streeter and Oliver Colvile will also be at the event and are backing the Council’s campaign to get young people voting by using digital media.

When students log onto the voting site, they will be able to see the full list of candidates, along with a photo, personal statement and a video outlining their campaign messages. Votes will be secure as each student will be given a unique access code to ensure that only one vote is cast per young person.

The week of voting in schools will take place from Monday 27 to Friday 31 January and prior to this, young people will be able to meet candidates face to face in the city centre on Saturday 25 January when a pre-election event will be staged. The results of the UKYP election will be announced on Saturday 1 February at the Council House.

Councillor Nicky Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “In our work with children and young people, listening to the voice of the child is one of the crucial things that all professionals must do. Enabling young people to vote on-line is one of the ways we are making the democratic process more appealing and accessible. I’m really hopeful we’ll see record numbers of votes this year and hope this demonstrates our commitment to connecting with and listening to young people.”

For more information about on-line voting in the UK Youth Parliament election, contact Sarah Harris, Professional Youth Worker, on 01752 308839 or email sarah.harris@plymouth.gov.uk.