East Ren backs vote campaign

The campaign, which is being run in partnership with education bodies and councils across Scotland, aims to ensure that as many 16 and 17-year-olds as possible are registered and able to vote at the Scottish council elections on May 4.

Nearly 80,000 16 and 17-year-olds registered to vote ahead of the Scottish Parliament election last year and 78 per cent of them claimed to have voted in the poll. The deadline to register ahead of the Scottish council elections is April 17, Easter Monday.

Lorraine McMillan, East Renfrewshire’s returning officer, said: “This is the first time that 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in their local council elections, so it’s important they register before the deadline.”

Andy O’Neill, head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland, said: “We don’t want young people to miss out on having their say in the council elections just because they aren’t registered or don’t know how to vote.

Visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote for more details.