NEARLY 3,000 North Yorkshire teenagers took part in an electoral reform survey, carried out by North Yorkshire County Council as part of Local Democracy Week.

An overwhelming majority of those surveyed voted in favour of electoral reform.

Secondary school students across North Yorkshire were asked for their views on the minimum voting age, after the Electoral Commission consulted the council on voting proposals, including reducing the voting age and widening the choice of voting methods.

Of the teenagers surveyed, 63pc voted in favour of reducing the voting age and 74pc said that it should be reduced to 16.

But only 41pc voted that the minimum age to stand as a candidate should be reduced.

However, 76pc believed the same minimum age should apply for all elections and 71pc thought that lowering the voting age would encourage more young people to take part in elections.

The majority favoured voting by post and at other local premises rather than at the polling station.

A massive 79 pc said they would be more likely to vote if they could do so on the internet and 72pc said they would prefer a text vote.

North Yorkshire County Council has passed these views and the results of the survey to the Electoral Commission.

Coun Herbert Tindall, the chairman of the committee which asked for the survey, said: "It was important to seek the views of the young people who would be most affected by this and I was delighted that nearly 3,000 responded.

"We were so impressed we passed their views on to the Electoral Commission as the county council's response."

One of the youngest members of North Yorkshire County Council, Gavin Williamson, has been given a new role as champion of the views of young people.

He will work alongside the county council's Continuing Education Unit through its Connecting Youth Culture (CYC) project.

"As a council we have a responsibility to people of all ages, young and old, and we need to consult with the young rather than just give them what we think they need," he said.

"I don't get a big pot of money myself to change things overnight," said Coun Williamson, who also sits on the county council's education scrutiny committee. "But I will be working to change the culture of the county council to provide what young people need."

Updated: 11:36 Wednesday, November 12, 2003