Youth parliament candidates named

The names of the candidates hoping to be elected as Orkney’s Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament have been announced.

The candidates are (pictured above from the left) Beth Thomson (Stromness Academy), Jack Norquoy (Stromness Academy), Thorfinn Moffat (Kirkwall Grammar School) and Ria Leslie (Kirkwall Grammar School).

Further information about the candidates, including their manifestos, can be found at www.syp.org.uk/elections

The online vote opens at 8am on Friday, March 6, and closes at 10pm on Friday, March 13. The poll will return two MSYP’s to the Parliament.

All those aged between 12 and 25 in Orkney are eligible to vote by visiting elections.youngscot.org and entering their Young Scot card number. Anyone who has lost their Young Scot card, temporary numbers can be obtained by school pupils at the additional voting opportunity sessions which are being held at Kirkwall Grammar School and Stromness Academy.

Young people who have left school and require temporary voting numbers, should contact the Local Election Co-ordinator Ernie Skea at ernie.skea@orkney.gov.uk  or by phone on 873535 ext 2424.

The result of the vote will be declared in the Orkney Islands Council chamber at 5.30pm on Monday March 16 by Orkney’s Returning Officer Alistair Buchan.