Youngsters urged to register to have their say on independence

Teenage voters are being urged to return their details to the SIC to ensure they are on the electoral register ahead of next year’s independence referendum.

Anyone aged 16 and over on 18th September will be entitled to vote in the referendum – but they need to be included on the register.

Annual electoral registration forms have been sent to every household, including a “young voters” form. The council is encouraging folk to return them promptly  to ensure they can have their say at the polls.

Other elections next year include for the European parliament in May.

Senior electoral assistant, Ian Leslie, said: “People are talking about the referendum with family and friends, but the only way to have your say is to vote on 18th September 2014, so make sure you’re registered to vote.

“Registering is quick and simple. All you have to do is update and return the registration forms with details of everyone who lives in your household and is eligible to vote, and remember to include anyone who has turned 16 by 18 September 2014.”

Forms can also be found at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk or from the electoral registration office on 01595 745700.

COMMENTS(33)

Add Your Comment
  • Joe Johnson

    • October 22nd, 2013 9:08

    Better together! I know what I’ll be voting next year, and that’s No. I’m not convinced Independence is best for Scotland. I’ve listened to what Alex Salmond and the SNP have said about it and I really don’t think they have thought this through. I was reading about the SNP conference last week on a news website and one SNP minister was resorting to “name calling” ! He was going on saying Tory this and Tory that , Westminster this and Westminster that , fear factor this and scaremongering that, David Cameron coward etc! Grow up for goodness sake! The Scottish people need to know how Independence will affect Scotland and resorting to “name calling” is just not helpful.

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  • Ted Knight

    • October 22nd, 2013 12:17

    Why on earth should SIC be “urging” an island’s teens to “get out and vote” or whatever the latest ruse is with regard to the coming Yes/No referendum on Independence for Scotland?

    Doesn’t this run counter to any of the plethora of electoral “niceties” and rules whereby folk – teenaged or otherwise – should make themselves aware of these matters without nanny busybodies getting there oar into the proceedings?

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  • Brian Smith

    • October 22nd, 2013 14:47

    Ted and Joe are right. In fact, why do we have an electoral office or voting at all?

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  • Douglas Young

    • October 22nd, 2013 14:58

    Well done to all media for bringing to the attention of 16 to 18 year olds the need to register, in particular to the group who have up until now been excluded from the process.
    Regardless of which way they vote.

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  • john n oakes

    • October 22nd, 2013 15:36

    Being Anglo-Saxon I wish Scots and Shetland people all the best when voting for independence. Can someone explain Sideshow Bob aka Alex the Salmond effort in describing the future of Scotland, because the majority of us down here in England not heard any advantage yet.

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  • David Spence

    • October 23rd, 2013 5:34

    Although I am very dubious about our so-called democracy and this of our voting system…

    (even although we are quite happy to criticise other country’s of fixing or rigging the votes…………….personally, I believe our democracy is nothing more than a monumental lie of huge proportions…….the election we take part in is nothing more than a game with absolutely no value whatsoever they give us to play so as we are conditioned into believing we contributed to whoever happens to have been voted the Prime Minister for that time…….Labour were losing votes right, left and centre (excuse the pun) because Tory Blair (I mean Tony) was more of a Tory than what the tories themselves were……….so, begs the question…….How on Earth did the Tories win the election? (and before you say it, it most probably was not a hung Parliament as we are being spoon fed……..we were just told this to take the heat off the Tories winning……..which they should not have….based on the reasons why Labour lost so many votes)

    Any way, I will be voting for Independence because there is no way that Scotland should ever be ruled by this vile, despicable Tory Party, who look upon Scotland as nothing more than a testing ground for their ‘ selfish, look after number one, screw the people, support the minority rich ‘ policies and oppressive doctrine.

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  • stephen shirmer

    • October 23rd, 2013 11:32

    I have been informed that if you wish to vote for Scottish independence you have to have an address in Scotland and live there ?

    what about the thousands of Scottish people who live in England and abroad.

    I may have been misinformed , but this does not sound very democratic to me if it is true.

    My apologies to the nationalists if I am wrong.

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  • ian tinkler

    • October 23rd, 2013 12:00

    Simple Stephen, Salmond and the Nats are need the ant-English vote. They will -not get that from Anglophile Scotts voters living and working in and with the Auld Enemy. Answer exclude them from voting. Not very democratic but typical Salmond.

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  • David Allan

    • October 23rd, 2013 12:24

    So Salmond wants to create a Scottish Military but who will he get to enlist into this Military when most of the present day Scottish Military Personnel serving in The British Armed Forces won’t be allowed to vote in this Independence vote as most aew either based in England or overseas.

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  • stephen shirmer

    • October 23rd, 2013 14:07

    So I was not wrong in my reasoning that you have to abide in Scotland to give your vote.

    What about if your half English/Scottish & live abroad
    will they be able to come back to live in Scotland, let alone have a say on the Scottish future.

    I really do not like the idea of living under a Scottish government that is not democratic in its voting system for its own people,

    if this independence vote is going to benefit the people of Scotland then it has to be fair in its voting system and not just go for the national jingoism vote.

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  • Robert Sim

    • October 23rd, 2013 22:18

    On the question of who can vote in the referendum, the following from the BBC website gives the facts:

    “The voter “franchise”, as it’s known, is largely the same as for a Scottish Parliament and council elections, with the addition of lowering the voting age from 18.

    That means the 800,000 Scots who live in other parts of the UK don’t get a vote, while the 400,000 people from elsewhere in Britain who live in Scotland do.

    All the main players on both sides of the debate agree this is the fairest way to do things.”

    Note the point that voters who are not Scottish by birth but who live in Scotland get to vote.That shows that the referendum is not driven by anti-English sentiment or by anti-anything else but by a determination to allow Scottish voters a say in whether Scotland should be independent or not.

    You will also note the last paragraph, that “…the main players on both sides of the debate agree this is the fairest way to do things.” This is not some Machiavellian plot by Alex Salmond. It is democracy in action.

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  • Rachel Buchan

    • October 23rd, 2013 23:27

    Why should someone who chooses not to live in Scotland have the right to vote in any Scottish election, or referendum. If you want a vote on it, live here!

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  • ian Tinkler

    • October 24th, 2013 7:56

    Independent Scotland!? All a bit irrelevant now, it sadly, looks as if Scotland’s economy may have just lost its petrol supplies and industrial base to socialist ideals. Unite Union! what an ironic name! If Grangemouth is lost, how incredibly stupid Salmond’s arguments look, claiming that, Scotland would be industrially sound, outside The UK. The threatened loss of Grangemouth shows just how vulnerable and exposed an independent Scotland would be!

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  • Brian Smith

    • October 24th, 2013 8:49

    Is it really ‘socialism’ to defend your terms and conditions at work? Tory MPs do it more vigorously than anyone else.

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  • David Spence

    • October 24th, 2013 11:11

    ‘ Tory MPs do it more vigorously than anyone else. ‘

    Given the expenses exposure, I would say Brian ‘ The Tories are probably the biggest exploiters of their responsibilities and, worst of all, lying or hiding the truth as to exactly what goes on within the Government and those individuals who are blatantly taking advantage of their position to gain financially as a consequence of hidden agendas or worst still again, not informing the people of the country their deception and, as been drafted into legislation by Government, MP’s right to take advantage, financially, or their position and so-called representation.

    A democracy which is governed and based on financial reward (our present political system as is) will always be corrupt and worst of all, to the detriment for the people of the country.

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  • Ali Inkster

    • October 24th, 2013 11:29

    Call it what you want Brian, most would call it bloody minded and stupid, reduced pay and pension is far better than no job. We’ll done unite, the minority have screwed the majority yet again because the unions are stirring it up for the Tories to try and get Labour back in power.

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  • stephen shirmer

    • October 24th, 2013 21:27

    One last comment on Mr sim valid reply, as a British citizen living abroad I have the opportunity to vote in any UK or European elections just by registering and placing my vote, so this would be valid for born and bred Scottish people who live outwith Scotland.

    Just because you live outside certain borders does not mean you do not have a interest within your own country, and surely such an important vote as a nation becoming independent then all Scottish people born and bred where-ever they live have a right to vote on the future of their country.

    There endeth my rant

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  • Sandy McMillan

    • October 24th, 2013 23:37

    The Tory Lib Dems Coalation, have robbed the poor to line the pockets of the rich, If you want to vote no move across the border into England, there you will have no problems when it comes to the yes vote.

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  • David Spence

    • October 25th, 2013 9:11

    ‘ minority have screwed the majority ‘

    What irony Ali…….is it not a case, under this vile Tory Government, that it will indeed be the minority

    (rich and shareholder (who only think of themselves and what wealth it can bring them, and who are equally responsible for the destruction of state run services))

    controlling, robbing, extorting, exploiting, lying and deceiving the majority as they abide by the most corrupt, damaging, no morals, evilist system (large corporate companies and alike) ever devised by humans, this of capitalism where the value of money is more important to them than anything else…….even more important than human life itself, as third world countries have proven (yes, shareholders are responsible for this as well).

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  • Ali Inkster

    • October 25th, 2013 10:57

    No David, in this instance the union got 600+ to reject the package now themselves and 700+ colleagues and 2000+ contractors are unemployed. All because a union is playing politics.

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  • Ali Inkster

    • October 25th, 2013 11:01

    Oh and David it was a vile greedy capitalist that wad bankrolling the place to the tune of £10 million a month, without this all those workers would of been collecting dole a lot sooner.

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  • Brian Smith

    • October 25th, 2013 11:47

    You are what is called a Ragged Trousered Philanthropist, Ali.

    REPLY
  • Ali Inkster

    • October 25th, 2013 13:38

    They won’t print what your called Brian.

    REPLY
  • Gordon Harmer

    • October 26th, 2013 8:31

    16 and 17 year old’s have been given the vote for the referendum, even though they are being used by the SNP they should go and vote. They should also campaign for a vote in a general election in an independent Scotland for things to be fair and even.

    This Grangemouth debacle was started by a union official doing union business on company time and was quite rightly brought up for it. Then the bully boy union got in on the act and threatened to hold the company to ransom.

    Then the tables were turned in a classic chess move called fools mate and the whole work force and union were held to ransom by the company. Union backs down, come crawling back and ends up giving more than they were originally asked to.

    This whole sorry sad sorry was then sorted with the help of the Scottish and UK governments together with loans which will secure the future of this plant.

    The moral of this story is that this was done together between company, union, Scottish government and UK government which proves with out a doubt that we are BETTER TOGETHER.

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  • ian tinkler

    • October 26th, 2013 9:35

    The resent “Grangemouth incident” is a true warning of just how vulnerable an Independent Scotland would be to industrial sabotage and absolute ruin. If, for whatever reason, Union stupidity or Management/ Shareholder vindictiveness or incompetence, the Grangemouth plant closed after Scotland had become an independent Nation, the results for Scotland would be catastrophic. No ability to produce petrol! Nowhere to process its own abundant oil. A small country, now totally dependent on the goodwill of others, England, Europe, for example, to maintain its economy. An independent Scotland’s entire future and economic welfare being dependant on Union power and Corporate Multinational Goodwill. What a vision for the future! what a hostage to fortune!

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  • James Smith

    • October 27th, 2013 8:44

    Nationalism was once the curse of Europe. Tribalism remains the curse of Africa. History reminds us that we all benifit from being one nation. If the nationalists win the referendum and Scotland goes it alone how long will it be before priority based on Clan becomes a debatable subject?

    For Gods sake wake up. Be we Scots, English, or whatever, we all need each other.

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  • Brian Smith

    • October 27th, 2013 9:55

    ‘Nationalism was once the curse of Europe. … History reminds us that we all benifit [sic] from being one nation.’

    Is there a contradiction between these two sentences, James?

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  • Gordon Harmer

    • October 27th, 2013 16:04

    Lets make it a little clearer for you Brian, with no contradictions.

    Negative features of nationalism are a form of aggressive complacency, with a sort of bragging or gloating.

    Yet that could be an expression of insecurity, I believe, a chip on the shoulder or of a lack of confidence

    Nationalism in its self is the equivalent of a silly cock crowing on his own dunghill.

    And as Albert Einstein said, nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.

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  • Johan Adamson

    • October 28th, 2013 9:52

    What I want to know is if fuel prices are now so low that Grangemouth is uneconomic to run (because of the shale gas in the US), how come our energy and fuel prices are still so high and rising? And there are new developments in the north sea all the time. Surely they wouldnt be investing for nil return?

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  • John Tulloch

    • October 28th, 2013 10:40

    Johan,

    Here, at least, is part of the answer to your question.

    Gas export terminals are only in the process of being built in the US and it’ll be a year or two before the first shipments.

    I think the export of cheap US oil is constrained by lack of pipelines to the coast so it and the gas are, as yet, only influencing world market prices by the US importing less than before.

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  • David Spence

    • October 28th, 2013 21:13

    Correct me if I am wrong John, but I was watching a documentary some time ago where (as a result of the BP (although BP should not have blamed) incident in the Gulf) the commentator of the programme said that USA had at least 200 years supply of its own oil, and the commentator found it difficult to understand why the USA imported 40% of its oil consumption.

    I have a theory, if, presuming the evidence is to be believed that we will run short of oil within the next 30 years or so, the USA could use their own supplies of oil to supply other countries, thus, to a degree, hold these countries to ransom and take advantage of this situation to expand its own agenda of global domination (lol) What is it called again? Oh, yes, New World Order lol

    Mind you, I am not so sure how the New Super Powers of China, India and most definitely Russia’s role will be in this new global regime lol

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  • John Tulloch

    • October 29th, 2013 9:32

    David,

    I think you’ll find there are vast reserves of unconventional oil like shale and tar sands all around the world. Russia, for example, has an enormous shale formation called the Bazhenov Shale. Canada has large reserves of tar sands.

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  • Gordon Harmer

    • October 29th, 2013 12:56

    Johan one by one the energy companies are forcing their prices up by an average of about 10% adding over £120 to energy bills.

    Energy companies are blaming green taxes brought in by Ed Miliband as environment minister for £50 of the rise and I have a very strong suspicion that the rest of the rise is to pre-empt Ed Miliband’s promised twenty month price freeze in 2015 if of course he gets elected,

    The big six energy companies will probably do this again next year if they can get away with it just to be sure they don’t lose out.

    REPLY

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