YOUNG people across Darlington are being urged to vote on which issues are most important to them in the annual Make Your Mark ballot.

The ballot, open to young people aged 11-18 years, will decide what Members of the UK Youth Parliament should debate and vote on to be their campaign for in 2018.

The debate will take place in the House of Commons in November.

Last year a record 3,533 young people across Darlington took part in the vote, a 36 per cent turnout, with the top five issues in the borough being a ‘curriculum for life’, cuts to the NHS, tackling racism and religious discrimination, lowering the voting age to 16 and mental health.

This year’s ballot opens this week, when ballot boxes and voting papers will be delivered to secondary schools and colleges across the borough.

Those eligible, who live or are educated in the borough, can cast their vote in school any time before the ballot closes on October 4.

Jessica Halliday, Darlington Youth MP , said: "This is our chance to let the people in charge know what we think and what issues are most important to us."

Cllr Cyndi Hughes, cabinet member for children and young people, added: "I hope schools and colleges will also support the campaigns to help make a difference to young people’s lives.”