Young candidates set to hit campaign trail

Now, the budding ministers for the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) are on the campaign trail and hoping to secure the votes of fellow young people in the area.

SYP elections will take place in East Renfrewshire Schools, Barrhead Museum and the Edge youth facility, Newton Mearns, over 19 days from Monday-Friday, March 2-13. Young people will also be able to vote online at home.

East Ren communities convener Mary Montague said: “It’s so important for young people to have their voices heard and I’d urge everyone eligible to vote to do so.

“I wish all candidates the best of luck with their campaigning. It’s good that we have such able and enthusiastic candidates for our area.”

The Scottish Youth Parliament was set up in 1999. Its members are aged between 14 and 25 and are democratically elected.

Members are elected for two years and the next term begins in April.

East Renfrewshire has three seats in the SYP. The constituencies have the same boundaries as the Scottish Parliament.

Young people aged 12 to 25 who live in or attend school in East Renfrewshire are eligible to vote.

An online voting system will be used and young people will be able to vote for their preferred candidate using the number on their National Entitlement (Young Scot) Card. Young people can be issued with temporary numbers if they do not have a card.

Learn more at syp.org.uk.