Young Highlanders encouraged to register in Welcome to Your Vote week
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This week (29 January – 4 February) is Welcome to Your Vote week which is the ideal time to start conversations with young people about democracy, politics, and all aspects of voting, says the Electoral Commission.
A set of online resources has been lined up for young people, and those who work with them, to get the discussion started and help young people find out how to get and use their vote. It includes an overview of government and responsibilities at all levels, information about campaigns and how they work, and how young people can get involved in democracy.
Highland Council chief Derek Brown is hoping Welcome To Your Vote week will make everyone better equipped to engage with young people and facilitate conversations about democracy and politics: “Talking politics and democracy with young people is incredibly important. They are the voice of the future and I really want to encourage young people to participate in democracy and register to vote. “
Remember to register to vote
If you’re not registered, you can’t vote. It’s as simple as that. In Scotland, you can register to vote when you’re 14. But you can only start to vote in some elections when you turn 16.
Luckily, you don’t need to register before every election.
You need to register if:
you’ve never registered to vote before
you’ve just become old enough to register
The Electoral Registration Officer will send you a letter to confirm when your name will be added to the electoral register.
You need to register to vote again if:
you’ve moved house recently
you’ve changed your name for any reason
You’ll stay registered to vote as long as you live at that address and don’t change your name. When you become old enough to vote in different elections, your record will be updated automatically.
Registering to vote takes just five minutes if you do it online. If you’re 16 or older, all you’ll need is your National Insurance number. If you’re under 16, you won’t be asked to supply a National Insurance number
Alternatively, you can contact the Electoral Registration Officer on 0800 393 783 and ask for a paper application form.
If you work with young people and want to start conversations with them about democracy and voting, you can find out more at Welcome to your vote
If you are already registered to vote and wish to apply for a postal or proxy vote visit
