| Date -18 Apr 2007 | Return to previous page |
Residents encouraged to play their part in May’s elections
People in Elgin will be urged to make their voice heard at the elections on 3 May when the VoteScotland roadshow takes place in the town on Friday (20 April).
With just a fortnight until the elections, residents are being urged to visit the roadshow at Moray College, where they can find out all the information they need to be able to vote, including how to register and how to fill in their ballot paper on the day.
Visitors to the roadshow can play digital games involving pop stars and footballers to find out how the voting systems work and experience a virtual walk through a polling station.
There will also be give-aways and visitors will have the chance to practice filling out a ballot paper and be invited to sign up for a text reminder to vote on 3 May.
The roadshow tour is part of the national VoteScotland campaign, a politically neutral campaign organised by the Scottish Executive and the Electoral Commission to inform people about the Scottish Parliamentary and council elections on 3 May and to encourage them to use their vote.
In the five weeks before the elections, the roadshow is covering the length and breadth of Scotland, visiting 39 Scottish towns and cities, from Shetland in the north to Stranraer in the south to drive home the voting message.
The VoteScotland roadshow is particularly aimed at young people, who are less likely to vote - only 42 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds voted in the 2003 Scottish Parliamentary election.
The roadshow is visiting a variety of sites in communities across Scotland, ranging from universities and colleges to town centres. It is also visiting community and faith groups, as certain minority ethnic groups are also less likely to register and vote.
Alastair Keddie, Moray Council chief executive and Electoral Registration Officer for the area, said: "Politics affects every aspect of our everyday lives, including issues such as the environment and education.
"The VoteScotland roadshows are about encouraging everyone, especially young people, not to miss out on the chance to have their say on whatever matters to them by voting on 3 May.
"Voting is quick and easy and is your way of participating in our democracy. It really is the most important way of influencing the future."
People in Elgin can visit the VoteScotland roadshow on Friday 20 April when it stops at Moray College (opposite the police station) between 10am and 3pm.
The roadshow tour forms part of a Scotland-wide advertising campaign using TV, radio, newspaper and outdoor adverts to link the elections with everyday issues such as education and transport and to remind people that whatever matters to them, their vote counts.
A key aim of the VoteScotland campaign is to inform people about the two voting systems being used in the elections on 3 May.
For the council elections, voters will rank candidates in order of preference using numbers – the single transferable vote system (STV). For Scottish Parliamentary elections, voters will use an X to mark choices for constituency and region.
To find out more, call the free VoteScotland Helpline on 0800 0141 012 or visit: www.votescotland.com