Snapchat has partnered with the Electoral Commission to create a voter registration filter, in a bid to encourage young voters to head to the polls on 4 May for council elections.

The geofilter, which is in place now, reminds people in Scotland to register for the elections before the 17 April deadline.

Andy O’Neill, head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland, said: “Working with Snapchat gives us a fantastic opportunity to reach a typically under-registered audience and let young people in Scotland know that they can use their voice in these elections. However, they need to be registered by 17 April.”

The upcoming Scottish council elections represent the first time that 16 and 17 year olds across the country will be eligible to vote.

Electoral Commission research shows that younger people are less likely to register than older voters. Only 69 per cent of 18-34 year olds correctly registered in the UK compared to 96 per cent of those aged 65 and over.

The Commission is also working with social networks Facebook, which has placed registration reminders in people’s newsfeeds across the UK, and Nextdoor.