A new campaign was launched on November 3, to inform people in South Ayrshire about the Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections on 3 May,  2007 - exactly six months to the day - and to inspire them to make their vote count.

The Electoral Commission and the Scottish Government have joined forces to develop the VoteScotland campaign to encourage people to register, to explain the voting systems and to inspire and motivate them to vote in the elections next May. A key focus of the campaign will be to educate people about the new voting system.

As part of the campaign, a new website has been launched www.votescotland.com which has information on how to register, how to vote and how the different voting systems work. The website will be regularly updated as the campaign develops.

The campaign is aimed at all eligible voters and, in particular, will target under-registered voters and those less likely to vote, including young people, people from some ethnic minority communities and people who have moved house.

VoteScotland will also directly engage with people through work with community groups, organisations, companies and charities across Scotland in a creative public information drive. The VoteScotland brand and information will be visible in every area of Scotland as the campaign develops.

A high-impact and motivational advertising campaign will be launched in the run-up to the election date using television, newspapers, mailings and outdoor posters to drive home the VoteScotland message.

South Ayrshire goes to the polls on 3 May, 2007 to elect MSPs and councillors in simultaneous elections for the Scottish Parliament and local government.

• For the first time, the single transferable vote (STV) will be used for local government elections. Voters will be asked to mark numbers (1, 2, 3, 4 and so on) against the candidates' names in order of preference.  This will introduce new multi-member wards with either three or four councillors.

• The Scottish Parliament elections will involve a mix of first past the post and party list through the Additional Members System (AMS). This requires the voter to mark a cross (X) in the box next to the constituency candidate of their choice and a cross (X) in the box next to the party list or individual candidate of their choice in the regional list.

Andy O’Neill, Head of Office, The Electoral Commission Scotland said: “Politics affects all aspects of our everyday lives, whether at home, at work or at leisure and our campaign aims to reflect this.

“Voting is a chance to have your say on the things that matter to you and we hope VoteScotland will resonate with people all over Scotland. We are calling on people to register now, and to make their vote count in six months time, on 3 May 2007.”

At the last Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections, the turnout was 49% - 10% lower than the previous elections in 1999.  Forty-two per cent of eligible 18-24 year olds voted in 2003 and the campaign aims to inspire this group to vote in the next elections.

Bill Martin, 60, said: “It has always been important to me to use my vote as it has direct relevance to me and my local community. I strongly believe it is everyone’s civic duty to vote. As a patriotic Scot, I am proud to say I have voted on every occasion since 1964 and next year will be no exception.”

Student Jenny Smith, 19, added: “Next year’s elections will be the first time I will be able to vote. I have already registered to vote, which was easy to do, and I have circled 3 May, 2007 in my diary.

“There are lots of good reasons to vote in next year’s elections. Most importantly, for me, is the chance to make my voice heard on the issues that I think are important. For the first time in my life, my vote will matter and I find that really exciting.”

Between August and November, registration forms are delivered to all households in Scotland. The form should be completed by a member of the household and returned as soon as possible. If you haven’t received a form or have recently moved house, contact your local electoral registration office.

You can add your name to the Register throughout the year and the final deadline is 18 April 2007. However, you are urged not to wait until the last minute and register sooner rather than later.

To find out more, call the VoteScotland Helpline on 0131 225 0215 or visit: www.votescotland.com

November 2006