This Is Guernsey

THE number of under-18s who registered to vote in April’s general election could be more than has been announced. A spokesman for the Home Department admitted that its statement on the number who had done so could have been misleading.

The figure of 109 was taken from the special forms that had been supplied to schools.

‘We have no way of measuring how many have registered to vote online or by using the traditional form and applications are taken on trust,’ he said.

This was normal practice here and in the UK. There is nothing in the law that allows the department to request proof of age or ID, said the spokesman.

Deputy Mike O’Hara had been a promoter of the change to allow 16-year-olds the right to vote.

He said that he had been surprised at the official figure because the initial surveys by Education had indicated interest from about 300.

He is convinced that the official figure is a significant underestimation of the true number.

He and two other deputies attended a mini-hustings with sixth-form students at the Grammar School.

‘We asked them if they had signed up,’ he said. ‘There were about 250 pupils attending the meetings and practically all of them put their hand up.’

Deputy O’Hara believes that the total could be close to the original estimate.

‘When you consider that we are not only talking about pupils still at school but those who are now working.

He said he was disappointed that the actual figure would never be known.

‘I have said for a long time now that young people are interested in local politics and revealing the true figure would have confirmed what I believe,’ he said.