The success of TV's "Pop Idol" proves that young people will vote if issues are presented in an "appropriate and engaging" way, claims the UK's elections watchdog as it launches a campaign to boost political participation by 18 - 24 year olds.

Adverts launched on Monday aim to encourage the UK's 4.7 million 18 - 24 year old youths "to reconsider the value and power of their vote within a democracy, the importance and relevance to them of local issues and the impact voting can make on their lives".

The Electoral Commission's agitprop style ads carry the slogan "Who controls you? - votes are power" and depict politicians as puppets manipulated by the hands of the voter.

Like many in the media, the commission contrasts the low turnout by young people - as low as 39 per cent in the key 18-24 age group - in the 2001 election to the high-ratings success of votes in popular TV showbiz programmes such as "Big Brother" and "Pop Idol" - where 8.7 million people voted this weekend.

Research by MORI finds that political apathy, as opposed to voter apathy, was an issue only for a minority - 10 per cent - leading the Electoral Commission to conclude that the young will vote if the issues are presented in the right way.

"The phenomenal voter turnout for pop TV shows such as Big Brother and Pop Idol, which is estimated to reach a massive 31 million accumulated votes on Saturday 9 February (more than last year's general election), prove that young people enjoy using their voice to influence decisions if the issues are presented in an appropriate and engaging manner," argues a commission press release.

Young voters are pointed towards a new improved registering and voting processes at the website www.rollingregistration.co.uk and encouraged to apply for postal votes at www.postalvotes.co.uk in time for May's local elections.

Some voters will be able to take part in trial internet and text message votes and the final countdown to local election polling day will see a "Votes Are Power" awareness week from April 29 - May 3. The awareness week will act as a focus for the campaign and will feature a range of activities highlighting the campaign issues to the youth audience. It will be supported by spokespeople from the youth and political arenas.

Commission chief Sam Younger said of the new campaign: "In response to last year's election turnout we immediately set out to improve the voting process. There are new registration and postal voting procedures in place and other methods such as SMS and electronic voting will be trialled this May during the local elections.

"Young people are keen to exercise their democratic rights - the 'Votes are Power' campaign aims to build on this and to encourage people to realise their potential to make a difference".