A campaign has been set up to encourage young people to vote in the upcoming elections.

Youth Vote IM quietly launched on social media platforms last week.

The campaign is described as a non-partisan campaign to increase voter turnout for those aged between 16 and 18 in the Isle of Man.

Posts shared following their launch called for young people to register to vote online, and have instructions on how to do so.

The posts have capitalised on the tendency of young people to share political information via their social media accounts - often in easy-to-understand, aesthetically-pleasing pictures.

As one post of pictures loaded with information states: ’One of the most important steps to vote is registering. So we put together a couple of pastel squares [graphics].’

The campaign is youth ran, and was founded by Archibald Elliott, aged 17, and Oliver Sykes, aged 16.

Mr Elliott said: ’The campaign was set up to get more young people registered to vote and then [we will push] for them in September to get out and vote.

’It’s mainly a social media driven campaign because we recognise that young people tend to use social media a lot more to consume their news, and that’s a really good way of reaching them.’

Mr Sykes added: ’Voting is a important way in which we can influence the decisions and future of our island.

’Many young people are not particularly aware of the island’s voting system.’

In the 2016 general election, voter turnout for 16- and 17-year-olds was relatively low.

While more than 1,100 were registered to vote, only 46.2% actually turned up to vote on the day. This was a marked drop compared to a turnout of 54.1% in 2011, and 55.3% in 2006.

Low youth turnout is something which Youth Vote IM is hoping can be tackled via its campaign.

Mr Elliott said: ’[The low voter turnout] is obviously quite a shame when it can make quite a lot of difference.’

He added that the campaign wants to ’educate young people more about politics - why they should be going out and voting - and then break down candidates’ manifestos [to make them] easier to understand, and make it more accessible to students’.

Alongside low voter turnout, concerns have been raised in recent weeks over lack of interest of participating in next month’s local authority elections as time is running out for candidates to officially declare.

The deadline for nominations is Tuesday, June 29, before voters head to the polls to cast their votes on Thursday, July 22.

Mr Elliott said: ’We just want to make young people aware they have a voice. The ballot box is there, and they have an equal voice to anyone else in the community.’

The campaign is yet to launch a website, but can be found on social media channels at @YouthVoteIM