More than two thirds of 18 and 19-year-olds are registered to vote following a campaign by the Parliamentary Registry office.

Registrar Randy Scott said 898 youths in the age group — about 69 percent — were now registered voters, many of whom had responded positively to being targeted through an advertising campaign.

Mr. Scott and his colleagues have attempted to get across the importance of voting through channels such as popular video-sharing website YouTube and radio station Hott 107.5, while they have also visited Bermuda Regiment camps to speak to teenagers.

It comes after Mr. Scott revealed 42,337 people are registered to vote this year, an increase of 3,000 on fours ago.

Figures for the number of teenagers registered to vote in 2003 were unavailable, but Mr. Scott said the number has increased significantly.

"They are a different group. You have got to get them in a different way," he said.

"Our advertising campaign captured a good many of them and that pushed the numbers up."

The registrar said his determination to encourage people to vote has been inspired by his aunt, the suffragette Alice Scott.

"People made grand sacrifices for us to enjoy the right to vote today. Some went to their graves wondering if they did the right thing," he said.

"Women couldn't vote, the property franchise restricted blacks. Look how far we have come now.

"Our job is not only to make sure the process is open and free, but to encourage Bermudians to participate.

"In some countries, their main concern is that the voters get to the polls in one piece. When I hear people say they're not voting, that has such an impact on me.

"They're saying 'I don't vote so I don't have an opinion on anything."