Young people flexed their democratic muscle and turned out in their thousands to vote in Islington’s Youth Council elections.

A record number of votes were cast in schools and youth hubs on polling day (29 November) to elect 12 youth councillors for Islington, who will represent the voices and views of their peers on Islington’s Youth Council.

Some 5,815 young people went to the ballot box, an increase of more than 600 on 2015. In all 33 candidates stood for election, with voting open to everyone aged between 11 and 17 who lives or is educated in the borough.

Once again there were ballot boxes in every secondary school in Islington, at City and Islington College and the Platform and Lift youth hubs.

More than 80 per cent of pupils voted in a number of secondary schools, and overall turnout was 51 per cent – a rise of 11 per cent on 2015.

The current Young Mayor, Diana Gomez, said her time in the Youth Council has been “a wonderful and life-changing experience” she will never forget, adding: “I have been able to make a positive contribution not only to my borough, but also to the people living in Islington.”

Cllr Joe Caluori, Islington Council’s executive member for children and families, said: “This truly is democracy in action and I am so pleased to see young people’s backing for the Youth Council grow and grow.

“We listen carefully to our Youth Councillors and hugely value their input on decisions that affect young people in the borough – something we will be expanding on in future.

“It was great to see so many people put themselves in the running to become a youth councillor, and look forward to working with the newly-elected members.

“I’d also like to thank the current Youth Councillors for their dedicated work on behalf of all young people in the borough over the last two years.”

The election results were announced on Thursday (30 November) at Islington’s Assembly Hall.

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