Referendum 'can be part of school'

Jan 31 2013

The school curriculum should include classes on the Scottish independence referendum, according to electoral officials.

Electoral registration officers hope to stage a widespread publicity campaign to ensure that everyone eligible to vote next year can have their say.

They are particularly keen to engage 16 and 17-year-olds who get the chance to vote in a major national poll for the first time. This would involve communicating with children aged 14 now.

Joan Hewton, assessor and electoral registration officer for Lothian, said: "We would want to target schools because if you're looking for 14 to 15-year-olds, they have got to be in education. So I think one of the key ways would be to try and approach schools with a view to trying to get the school pupils actually registering at the schools."

SNP MSP Annabel Ewing said: "In terms of what we need for a good publicity campaign, I would have thought also a route would be within the school itself via modern studies classes or citizenship classes which every school has. That would be a good route to discuss, particularly, the registration process."

Ms Hewton said: "It would be great to see it on the curriculum, as a specific item on the curriculum."

Measures are being implemented to prevent the names and addresses of young children on the expanded referendum voters' roll entering the public domain.

The UK electoral roll is available for sale and perusal in public libraries but concerns have been raised that an expanded roll could cause problems for protected children if it is published.

The referendum roll, which will include the details of those reaching 16 at the time of the poll, will only be available to returning officers.

Political parties and campaign organisations may also get access to the roll to check the eligibility of campaign donors.