'Social media presence appeals to young voters'
HAVING a strong presence on social media with policies that appeal to young people is something Guernsey's government could learn from the UK election, according to one student.
Adam Sparkes, 17, sits on the Youth Forum and felt the Labour Party was very proactive in seizing young people's votes at last week's General Election.
The Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party are still in discussions over a possible 'confidence and supply' deal to secure support for a minority Tory government.
Mr Sparkes felt more people were seeing the impact that young people can have on politics.
'It was clear Labour were trying to pitch themselves to young people with the policies they pursued,' he said.
'They took it upon themselves to take the initiative with certain policies, such as scrapping tuition fees. Maybe that is something politicians could do in Guernsey, to create policies that would appeal to young people.
'They also put social media to good use and were trending on Twitter and I even think they had a Snapchat filter.
'It is the nature of Guernsey that it is very different. You can't really align yourself with a party, but it is more about personal interaction with different politicians.
'I don't think Guernsey could pursue the same things, but a presence on social media is really the only way to get young people's votes in my opinion.'
A PUBLIC meeting will be held on Thursday by the States' Assembly & Constitution Committee to explain its proposals for a referendum on Guernsey's voting system.
Islanders will be able to question president Deputy Matt Fallaize about plans for the proposed referendum.
The committee is recommending that the electorate should be asked to decide between five options.
The States will debate the proposals at the 21 June meeting.
As the referendum would offer the electorate a range of options, the committee has proposed it is held using preferential and transferable voting (known as the alternative vote or instant run-off) to determine which of the options is the most favoured and produce a clear result.
States members will be asked to agree in advance that if there is a reasonable turnout at the referendum, they will bind themselves to accept the result and carry into effect the will of the people.
Sacc has also proposed that the referendum should be held in summer 2018.
The meeting is in the Harry Bound Room at Les Cotils at 7pm.
