Politicians aren't just a bunch of old fuddy-duddies - young people are getting in on the act as well. We asked two of the youngest who stood for parliament to chart their own campaigns. This is how they got on.
Peter Lyburn, 22, stood for the Conservatives in Dunfermline West May 4, 5:30 am: There were a lot of weary, worn-out and weepy individuals gathered round the vote monitor in the middle of a local sports halls in Fife yes, the future of your country was decided over the centre spot of the local team's netball court.
It all seems a long way from two years to when I joined the Conservative Party. My political learning curve has been a steep one. My parents are not overly political. My interest spawned from long nights in the pub debating with friends about the morality of the Iraq war and the fallout from September 11. Then I joined the right wing think-tank The Tuesday Club, which gave me a suitably challenging environment to test not only my beliefs but my ability to articulate them to others.
With some gentle advice and a strong nudge from some of my new-found mentors I put myself forward to the party's central office and asked the panel's approval of my attempted candidacy. Eight months later I have fought my first election, returned a good result and am much wiser for it.
I fought hard for Dunfermline and tried to run on issues that local people thought were important. Dunfermline is a city that I had little connection with, but, having spent almost eight months there, I have found myself very attached to the place. I drive round areas and I know what I would like to see changed in order to alleviate littering problems or anti-social behaviour.
My involvement in a political party and the political process has empowered me. No longer am I just angry at the lack of good local shops, but I now know what needs to be done and that is an incredible feeling. Never let it be underestimated what a committed, empowered local individual can achieve for his or her community.
Becoming involved with politics allows you to approach your community with a far greater degree of vigour.
You can make informed choices about where you shop, what you eat, what taxes you pay, how you should vote and ultimately how all your daily choices effect our society.
Let's return to the morning of May 4.
I crawled into my house some time after 7am. Reasonably contented with my ultimately unsuccessful campaign and result, I turned on the computer to check on one vote where I thought I would put in a much better showing. Alas, when I loaded up www. sexymsp. com I think my losing margin was even greater. Must have been all those uncounted votes.
NATALIE Maver, 23, stood for the Liberal Democrats in Falkirk East In the last Scottish Parliament, there were no politicians under 30 and only 1-per cent of Scottish councillors were under this age.
Young adults are among the lowest represented people in society, perhaps it should come as no surprise that only one in three 18- to 24-year-olds votes. Perhaps young voters feel that there is no point in voting for a parliament or council where the members look so unlike them. I stood for election because I wanted to change this.
The Scottish Parliament is our parliament, and it should reflect everyone in society.
The campaign trail was hectic and exciting. We wanted to reach as many people as possible and campaigned outside football matches, at shopping centres and of course leafleting through doors. Election day was crazy delivering leaflets, visiting polling stations and of course voting. I worked right up to the close of the polls at 10pm before heading to the count centre.
Some people thought that the electronic scanners, being used for the first time in this election, detracted from the atmosphere but I enjoyed it and was excited every time I saw a vote next to my name flash up on the adjudication screens.
Obviously there were many problems on the night with spoiled ballot papers and technical glitches. Falkirk was no exception.
Our result was expected at around 3am or 4am, so by 6.30am all the candidates were extremely tense and desperate to know what the outcome was. Eventually the returning officer called all the candidates together and announced everyone's result.
I received 2,136 votes, 7-per cent of the vote, a result I was very pleased with as it was an increase in the LibDems' share of the vote against the 2003 election.
The election has been a great experience.
Standing has given me the opportunity to meet lots of people in the community and hear from them what is important. It's a great feeling when you realise that people will be going out of their way to vote for you because they believe in you and what you can accomplish for them.
