Speak Out champion and soon-to-be first-time voter Grace shares her thoughts on why it’s so important to have your say on 6 May.

My name is Grace, I’m a Ranger in Strathaven and I’m also a Girlguiding Scotland Speak Out Champion. I’m really excited to be voting for the first time in the Scottish Parliament elections on 6 May. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time!

I feel that it’s so important to vote, especially as a young person because decisions are being made all the time that will impact my future. The more young women aged 16+ who vote on 6 May, the more chance we have of electing candidates who have women’s interests at heart and are willing to take action on the key issues that affect us in the quest for gender equality.

The deadline for registering to vote is 11.59pm on 19 April and the registration process is so easy – it takes around 5 minutes, just make sure you have your national insurance number at hand. Don’t forget, girls aged 14+ can register to vote too, they just can’t actually vote until they’re 16 years old.

I’ve been interested in politics for a long time but have always been too young to have my say. When it comes to how the country is run, it’s great to know that my voice will finally be heard this year.

As a Speak Out champion, my aim is to empower other girls to realise that their voice is important and that they have the power to create change. I hope you’ll take advantage of this amazing opportunity to take part in the democratic process. Let’s vote and together we can help create a more equal and positive future for girls and young women across Scotland!

What are you waiting for?

As I mentioned earlier, it takes a matter of minutes to register to vote and Girlguiding Scotland can help you tackle the next stage of the process after you’ve registered. So, from figuring out who to vote for to breaking down election jargon, we’ve got you covered – find out more here and don’t miss out!