Report by:
Ann Davie, Depute Chief Executive
TN Number:
209-23
Thursday, 14 December, 2023
Subject:
Scottish Youth Parliament Elections Update
Responsible Officer:
Drummond Stewart, Manager Skills for Learning, Life and Work
Publication:
This Technical Note will be published on the Council’s website following circulation to Members. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council.
Details:
- This Technical Note is to update Elected Members regarding the election process for Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) held in November.
- Young Scot who manages the online voting platform on behalf of the Scottish Youth Parliament, alerted all councils to a problem with their digital supplier which meant that votes cast using mobile phones were not being recorded and could not be counted.
- Over the last few weeks, the Scottish Youth Parliament and Young Scot have been looking at how best to complete the election process.
- We have now been advised by the SYP that we have to re-run the elections, meaning previous votes cast will not be counted.
- All SYP elections in Scotland are being re-run with the exception of areas which voted using paper ballots forms.
- We plan to re-run the SYP Elections from the 29th January – 4th February 2024, and hold the announcement on Wednesday 7th February 2024.
- Young people will be encouraged to vote independently online using their own Young Scot card. We will promote this by:
- A social media campaign (EDC & Secondary schools) running 29th January – 4th February 2024
- Promotion in school; attending all school assemblies with update & advise how to vote and YDW support, group call, e-mail, promotional material and voting QR codes on school screens and posters around the school
- Youth Development Workers (YDW) will be available every lunchtime in school during the election week to support any young person who does not have a device to cast a vote or an EDC Young Scot Card. The YDW in school will issue any young person without an EDC Young Scot card a temporary number to allow them to cast their vote.
- Testing is currently taking place on the Young Scot online voting platform, and we have been advised all going well with testing this will be ready to use from the 15th January 2024.