studying abroad are on the Island, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan has hinted.

Sir John was responding to a recent informal poll, by The Royal Gazette , in which many first-time eligible young voters said they want to vote but will be unable to if an election is called while they are abroad.

He said he will consider the matter when determining when to call the election, which must take place by February, 1994.

Both Government and Opposition officials also made it clear that they are not taking young voters for granted.

Eighteen-year-olds will be allowed to vote in Bermuda for the first time in the next general election.

And Government Information Minister the Hon. Sen. Michael Winfield said:"Both parties are making an effort to get in touch with young people''.

He added: "Government is trying, in a non-partisan manner, to educate through various means young people about voting and the power that is given to them by their right to vote.

"Other countries have suffered, for example in the US, because the general electorate has not turned out to vote. We cannot allow that to happen in Bermuda. It is like turning off a country's destiny.'' Some 19 of the 30 17-to-25 year olds interviewed said they believe Bermuda offers them a good future.

But they complained, among other things, about "a general lack of youth motivation'' and that "not enough input is sought from Bermuda's youth''.

Sir John pointed to the recent creation of various Government committees and task forces as ways Government is including young people.

And he said: "We're doing a lot of things that will hopefully help to change young people's attitudes from not only what they experience, but what their parents feel. The whole objective is to make Bermudians feel more optimistic about their future.

"We're ruling out no-one. We're seeking input from the broadest cross section of the community.'' Sen. Winfield pointed to Government Senate members -- all of whom are under 40 -- as another example of including young Bermudians in the political process.

He said it is up to that generation to include the next, and so on. United Bermuda Party deputy campaign chairman Mr. Austin Woods said the party is also analysing methods, based on the last voters' registration list, of making Bermuda's youth more politically aware and involved.

Without revealing any planned strategies, he said after statistics are formulated, polls will be taken to find out what can be done to generate young people's interest.

Progressive Labour Party campaign chairman Mr. Terry Lister said his party is taking a two-fold approach to making sure young people are not left out of the political realm.

He said in addition to looking to Progressive Youth to make sure there is a programme that appeals to young people, the party is making sure it has "quality candidates with a broader appeal to all age groups, especially the young people''.

Mr. Walter Roban, chairman of Progressive Youth, said the survey results -- showing 68 to 70 percent of those polled are conscious of the political registration process -- is encouraging.

But he said: "There is a large cross section of young people who are ambivalent about voting either because they have a bad perception of politicians or have not become educated about the political system.'' Mr. Roban said while information about the political system is available, "it is not as accessible as we would like it to be''.

He said local schools could include in their curriculum a "structured civics course'' which teaches about the local political process, the background of political parties, and key figures in Bermuda's political system.

"Expose them to the issues early and don't let them fall into the issues,'' Mr. Roban said. "This will breed a more educated citizen, more educated individual, and more educated voter.'' Progressive Youth's rally tomorrow is just the start of the political education process they intend to continue after the next general election, he said, adding the youth wing has also held registration dances to stress the importance of registering.

"Now they (those over 18 years) are involved in the franchise, they have the opportunity to let their voices be heard,'' he said.

PLP Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said he believes young people "are very turned on by the fact that they have the right to vote''.

He said his only concern is that students cannot vote if an election is called while they are overseas.

"We fought for many years to get the voting age down to 18,'' he said. "It seems unfair they cannot exercise it if they are not here.'' Noting that absentee voting can fall prey to fraud, Mr. Wade said elections should be called between May and September.

National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell, who agreed that young people should be encouraged to vote, noted that both Government and the Opposition rejected a NLP motion to have absentee voting for Bermudians studying overseas.

"The last two to three elections have been held between November and February,'' he said. "Unless Government is going to come up with a specific time or date for elections to be called, this is the only way young people studying overseas will be able to vote.''