As the island heads to the polls today, data shows the number of people registered to vote is the highest for two decades.

More than 64,000 people are able to cast their ballots today, compared with 59,693 in 2016.

In 2011, 60,382 were registered, in 2006 there were 52,002 and in 2001 there were 47,529.

The election will see 24 members installed to the House of Keys, with two members for each of the 12 constituencies on the island.

In the Isle of Man, 16-year-olds can vote. In the UK the minimum voting age is 18.

All candidates in the catchment area for St Ninian’s - Douglas East, Central, North, Garff and Onchan - were invited to attend an election marketplace on Tuesday.

Students at the school were able to talk to the prospective candidates to find out a little bit more about their policy goals and ask questions.

Also in attendance were election observers, who are here scrutinising the Manx election for the first time ever.

A team of nine from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association are here, and will be wearing high-vis jackets whilst they watch the vote counting tonight, with the aim of getting to all polling stations across the island throughout the day.

They will then produce a report with their findings about the ’quality and conformity’ of the election.

It will be assessed based on criteria of: fairness of the process, inclusivity, equal opportunity in the election, and transparency.

It is hoped events such as the marketplace at St Ninian’s will have galvanised young people to head to the polls.

YOUTH VOTE

Youth campaign Youth Vote IOM has also been on a mission to engage younger voters for this year’s election throughout the island.

They approached candidates in all constituencies directly to have them fill out a questionnaire, the results of which can be found on their website.

Seventeen candidates do not have answers listed, implying they did not respond, which inevitably raises questions around the value they place on the youth vote.

One of the more humorous questions was ’If you were a cake, what cake would you be?’

Whilst many answered ’chocolate cake’ some of the more interesting responses included:

Chris Thomas (Douglas Central): ’Red velvet. I know because I completed a Buzzfeed Quiz!!!’

Michael Josem (Douglas East): ’Chocolate ice cream cake, because ice cream is better than all cake.’

Jon Wannenbugh (Douglas North): ’Battenberg. Small but packs a punch!’

Sarah Maltby (Douglas South): ’Rocky road - a nice balance of sweetness and ’bite’ providing a reliable choice for anyone who picks it!’

Daphne Caine (Garff): ’A raspberry/pineapple coconut rum cake - moist and satisfying with explosions of brilliance (raspberries) and underlying warmth (rum).’

Alison Lynch (Middle): ’Red velvet cake - I am friendly and have a strong character but can be soft in the middle!’

Jane Poole-Wilson (Middle): ’Coffee and walnut cake - a bit serious, with a caffeine kick and lots of warmth!’

Stu Peters (Middle): ’Mr Kipling’s Lemon Fancy. Sweet but tarty...’

Lawrie Hooper (Ramsey): ’Jaffa Cake - because I love a good debate!’

Simon Mann (Ramsey): ’Rock cake. Anything softer would be useless in this situation.’

Juan Watterson (Rushen): ’Death by Chocolate, which is probably what my death certificate will say.’

Each constituency has a different page on the Youth Vote IOM site, with the candidates’ full responses, the location of polling stations and the statistics on youth voter turnout (from 2016) listed clearly and concisely.

The government’s own election website describes the importance of voting, stating: ’The choices made by Members of the House of Keys directly affect our daily lives.

’They make policy, pass laws and regulations, decide how income from taxpayers is spent on public services, and debate issues of national and international importance.

’Elections provide an opportunity to make your feelings known on the issues that matter to you.

’By voting you can influence the decisions that will shape the island’s future.

We will have updates from across the island on our website www.iomtoday.co.im after polls close tonight at 8pm and will have extensive coverage of all the results in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner on Tuesday.