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Southampton Youth Elections

Method(s) Used


Name of person who posted the project:

Kerry Ryan


Location of project:

United Kingdom


Date when the project started:

2005


Date when the project ended/project ongoing:

2005


Background to project:

Election for Southampton member of UK youth parliament.
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Purpose of project:

Partnership wanted to target voter apathy, find better methods to promote and market youth elections and make voting more accessible.
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Project activities:

  • Partnership used iMeta's e-voting platform, Mi-Voice which allowed electorate to cast a secure vote by SMS text message.
  • Partnership invested in a bank of 'free to use' mobile phones for those pupils who did not have access to a mobile.
  • Candidates wrote their own manifestoes which were available on the Internet, campaign flyers were distributed and Personal Advisors 'spread the word' in schools.

Project results:

  • Achieved a 1,775% increase in voter turn-out in the election for the Southampton member of the UK Youth Parliament making it most successful youth election.
  • Organisers of the election benefited from the cost savings in voting electronically.
  • Ran a credible, secure vote.

Contact details:

Ben Thomas
iMeta
Phi House
Enterprise Road
Chilworth Science Park
Southampton
SO16 7NS
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tel: 0845 2414145
email: bthomas@imeta.co.uk
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