YOUNG people are being encouraged to take part in democracy through mock elections in the run up to the European vote on June 10.

North Thanet MP Roger Gale wants schools to become involved and said: “We know too well that there is considerable voter-apathy surrounding elections and that far too few of those young people eligible to vote for the first time actually do so.

“There is a considerable belief from them that ‘nothing that I can do that will make a difference’ and that ‘they’re all the same and they’re all in it for themselves’.

“Neither of those statements is true and mock elections are one way of introducing young people to the process and helping to explain why the exercise of the right to vote is so important and why your vote really can count.

“I shall be very pleased to personally assist any school serving my constituency that wants to participate in the ‘Y Vote’ initiative that aims to actively engage students with the political, social and moral issues of the world around them.”

The Hansard Society’s citizenship programme has worked in conjunction with the Department for Education and Skills and the Electoral Commission to provide schools with everything they need to stage the event.

A spokesman for the project said: “Mock elections are a great way to raise awareness of citizenship and the benefits of active, participatory democracy; and help address the trend of voter apathy amongst young people.”

The Hansard Society will be compiling the results from around the country so schools will be able to directly see how their results compared with that of the national results.