Roadshow to allow practice voting

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/6544151.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A major campaign to encourage people to vote on 3 May is gearing up.

A total of 58 locations are being visited as part of the VoteScotland road show.

The event aims to inform people about changes to the current voting system as well as giving them the opportunity to register to vote.

First-time voters will also be able to practice filling out ballot papers and complete a virtual tour of a polling station.

A range of locations across every council area from Ayr to Orkney will be included in the road show.

We are particularly keen to get the message across to those people who we know are less likely to be registered, such as students and certain minority ethnic groups Andrew O'NeillElectoral Commission

The event is particularly aimed at young people, who statistics show are less likely to take part in elections.

Figures for the 2003 Scottish Parliament election showed that only 42% of 18 to 24 year olds voted.

Andrew O'Neill, head of the electoral commission's Scotland office, said politics was for everyone.

TV adverts

He said: "Politics affects communities the length and breadth of Scotland.

"We are particularly keen to get the message across to those people who we know are less likely to be registered, such as students and certain minority ethnic groups."

The road show forms part of a Scotland-wide advertising campaign using TV, radio, newspapers and outdoor adverts.

Over the next week the road show will visit, Kilmarnock, Ayr, Dumfries, Kelso, Livingston and Haddington.

The event, which kicked off on the Isle of Skye on 29 March, will conclude on 2 May, the eve of polling day.

The timetable includes;

Kirkintilloch (April 12)

Kilmarnock (April 12)

Ayr (April 13)

Dumfries (April 14)

Cumbernauld (April14)

Kelso (April 16)

Shetland - Lerwick (April 16)

Orkney - Kirkwall (April 17)

Livingston (April 17)

Penicuik (April 18)

Thurso (April 19)

Stornoway (April 19)

Haddington (April 19)

Elgin (April 20)

Edinburgh (April 21 and May 1)

Dunoon (April 21)

Dundee ( April 22)

Motherwell (April 24)

Hamilton (April 24)

Arbroath (April 24)

Dunfermline (April 25)

Glasgow (April 25, April 29 and May 2)

Greenock (April 26)

Alloa (April 27)

Paisley (April 27)

Helensburgh (April 28)

Aberdeen (April 28 and May 2)

Peterhead (April 30)

Stirling (April 30)

Ayr (May 1)

Stranraer (May 2)