Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

17 year olds are being encouraged to register to vote.
The 'Make Your Mark' campaign is at the heart of local democracy week 2004. The campaign aims to encourage civic participation among young people by encouraging 17 year olds to register to vote, develop lobbying and campaigning skills and to give young people the confidence to get involved in local decision making.

Well over three hundred young people from all corners of Wiltshire will be attending one of three 'Make Your Mark' events during the week. The events in Trowbridge, Salisbury and Chippenham will take place on 18, 19 and 20 October respectively. They will all be hosted by ITV News West presenter, Peter Rowell, who chaired similar events last year. The event on the 20 October will be a youth conference, hosted by North Wiltshire District Council and run in partnership with Wiltshire County Council.

Young people will have the chance to discuss a range of issues and there will be a live text vote on registering to vote at 17 by the team from Wiltshire's youth magazine db8. The Wiltshire Assembly for Youth will launch their 'Agenda for Action' which sets out how the assembly will tackle the issues affecting young people in the county.

The young people will also have the opportunity to take part in workshops on campaigning and lobbying skills and how young people can make their mark on issues such as transport, facilities for young people, the environment and education.

Councillors from both county and district councils will also be grilled on the issues affecting young people in a question time session presented by Peter Rowell. Finally there will be a discussion around the local elections and the possibility of national elections in 2005 and how young people can get involved.