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First elections to Crofting Commission          22/12/11

Proposals to provide an election process for Scotland's Crofting Commission have been passed by the Scottish Parliament.

For the first time, six people will be democratically elected by Scotland's crofting community to represent their interests, with the remaining three spaces filled by Ministerial appointment.

With eligible voters as young as 16, the elections are a solid signal that the Scottish Government wants to see a thoroughly modern, thriving, sustainable crofting sector, according to Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson.

Mr Stevenson said:"Crofting has long been the life blood of many communities in rural Scotland and has defined huge cultural shifts in our history. Today marks another historic moment - when Scotland's crofters get a seat at the table to make decisions that effect their future.

"The 2012 Crofting Commission election is an excellent opportunity to breath new life into crofting and I would encourage everyone eligible - from the age of 16 - to use their voice and to make sure the Commission hold the right details so that they get their ballot paper.

"Crofting is steeped in tradition and I am committed to seeing this long-established way of life become a thriving and sustainable sector in the future.

"The deadline for submitting changes to the Register of Crofts, which will be used to compile to crofting electoral roll, is 19 January 2012 and the deadline for candidate nomination will be 26 January 2012.

Voting is restricted to one vote per croft and to one vote per crofter: A multiple occupancy croft must nominate one voter where the crofters live at separate addresses, and a crofter with multiple crofts is only eligible for one vote.