Organised by the Bahrain Dialogue Society (Howar), the campaign will highlight the importance of associating the biggest number of youth in the decision-making.
“We have chose the sign ‘@’ to link the desired age with the year of election to highlight that the campaign will focus on information technology and modern technology to spread its messages,” President of Howar, Sayed Adnan Jalal, said in a statement on Wednesday.
The campaign pushes for amendment in the political rights law to lower the voting age by one year.
“Several youth who are 18-year-old have participated in university elections and have knowledge about the democratic process. Our society is pushing for all youth who are 19 to be eligible for voting for the 2010 elections,” he said.
He said if their proposal is implemented it would witness youths flocking at the polling booths to vote and choose the right candidates. The society will now carry out a study and identify the young population on the island.
The campaign will also focus on scraping a ban on those with criminal record from voting in 2010 elections, through amendment in the law. Sayed Adnan said some countries place voting boxes even in prisons and detention centres so that no citizen is left out of the process. “Every citizen should be given equal right to vote. Those arrested will go out one day to follow rules and regulations passed by parliament so they have to choose their representatives.”
According to the law, Bahrainis who are sentenced for more than six months in jails are banned from voting and contesting for the parliamentary election for 10 years from the date of the punishment.
