KYCC elections 2025

KYCC is open to all young people aged 11 to 18 years. Sixty young people from across the county will be elected to represent the views and issues of young people in Kent and campaign on the top three issues for young people.

If you're a school or youth organisation, we need your help to:

• run the elections this year
• encourage young people to sign up as candidates for the elections
• hold the elections in your school or youth setting.

We have spoken to Highworth School and Mayfield School and they have shared why the elections are so important within their settings.

To find out more visit the Kent Youth County Council (KYCC) elections webpage

• Highworth School: KYCC elections that feel real
  • At Highworth School, KYCC elections are a big deal. They don’t just hand out ballots-they recreate the full voting experience. “We tried to mimic an actual election… with registers, ballot slips, booths-the whole setup.” 
  • Assemblies before the vote focus on democracy and why voting matters. Students hear from past KYCC reps, including a former student who recorded a video from university. “She’s a familiar face… I thought that would connect with students more than me talking about it.”
  • Voting happens in person, not online, and sixth formers help run the show. “We’ve always resisted the move to digital… we want students to have the experience of coming en masse.”
  • Students get time during form periods to vote, but it’s totally optional. “They were given the time… if they chose not to vote, that was perfectly fine.”
  • Even with 1,500+ students, the school pulls it off-chaotic but worth it. “It felt complex… but even if it was chaotic, it worked.”
  • Their advice? Start early, make it student-led, and show the impact. “When the Freedom Pass came in after a KYCC campaign… that was powerful.”
  • Plans for next year include a video montage and newsletters to show students how their voices lead to change.
• Mayfield Grammar: keeping KYCC elections simple and meaningful
  • At Mayfield Grammar School, KYCC elections are part of the yearly rhythm. Warren Valentine, makes sure it happens-even if no student is standing that year. “A box lands on my desk… I’ve got about three weeks to make it happen.”
  • Every tutor group gets involved on the same day. Students receive a ballot and a short explainer about why voting matters. “I usually put something together… ‘This is voting, this is why it matters.’ You don’t have to participate.”
  • Valentine recruits A-level politics students to help distribute materials and collect ballots. “It’s not a tick box to us… we genuinely want students to understand democracy.”
  • The school also runs mock referendums and general elections, giving students a real taste of political engagement. “We try to mirror the election as much as possible… students deliver assemblies across the week.”
  • Warren Valentine’s top tip? Keep it simple, remove barriers, and show students the impact.

Young people and schools can register at the KYCC elections webpage