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Effective Programs
An effective voter information and education program will enable you to communicate the desired information to intended audiences by efficient use of resources.
The information you release and the materials you prepare should enhance the integrity of the electoral process and give citizens confidence in their system of elections. Citizens who understand and believe in the electoral process will accept the results and will help institutionalize the process for future generations.
Set Goals and Objectives
Voters
Generally goals and objectives will be to inform, educate and motivate voters about the electoral process.
Candidates and Parties
But what about the Parties and candidates? Are their qualification or selection processes different? Should there be a goal or objective to communicate special information to candidates and political parties? Perhaps a secondary goal or objective should focus on their needs.
NGOs
Are there Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) that are supporting the electoral process either through their own or cooperative programs that may be of assistance? Perhaps another secondary goal or objective should be to provide information to them as well.
International Community
Don't overlook setting goals for this important segment of special interest groups. Even if you believe there is no outside interest in your elections, consider the «spillover» effect of the information and education materials you release. At a minimum set a goal to keep the international community informed by the release of selected materials that will also reach them.
Situation Analysis
Review Previous Elections
This is a very important part of the planning process. First review the results of previous elections, regardless of when they were held. Who voted; who didn't; why?
Check the demographics
Know the makeup of your voters. What is the ratio and percentage of male and female voters? Do their voting habits vary? What is the breakout of urban and rural voters? How do their voting habits differ? Most important is knowing the number or percentage of voters in different age groups. Younger voters usually have different characteristics and certainly different interests than older voters.
What's new or different?
What's new in the process? Will different style ballots be used? Have polling locations changed? Is election day(s) on the same day of the week? Are polling hours the same? Is there a new electoral law in effect? Are there any differences in the registration process? Don't forget the counting process. Will the counting and reporting of results be the same? All of these differences and others should be listed so that you can determine the subjects of information and education materials.
Surveys
Surveys are valuable tools in preparing effective voter information and education programs. If possible, surveys should be conducted before, during and after the electoral process. A pre-election survey will give you a better understanding of voters so that you can prepare your messages accordingly. A survey midway through the electoral process will allow you to make adjustments to your media campaign and make more effective use of available resources. Post-election surveys are very important to help prepare for the next election and determine what changes, if any, should be made to the electoral process. While formal surveys are the most reliable means for gathering important information, informal surveys can be useful if the formal ones are not feasible or possible. You cannot plan an effective voter information or education program without some knowledge of the voters. Basic, reliable, background information is essential for planning and executing a voter information and education campaign that makes effective use of available resources.
Qualify Success
Now that you know all about your voters, the problems of previous elections, the anticipated differences between this election and others, what are the determinants for a successful program? If you meet or exceed previous voter turnout, will that mean you conducted a successful voter information and education program? It is very likely that many items will determine whether you conducted a successful and effective program. Most important is will the voters comprehend the information disseminated? Did you accomplish your goals and objectives? Will your program enhance and contribute to institutionalizing the electoral process?
Determine Your Resources
Financial
How much financial support do you realistically believe you can commit to the program? Once you have determined a basic amount try to allocate most of that amount for production of materials. As you will see later, it may be possible to get the Private and Religious Sectors, NGOs and Media to provide support through distribution of materials or «in-kind» services.
Production
What facilities do you have access to in order to produce the materials you need? Include other government agencies as possible sources of production support. Ultimately most of your budget should be for the production of materials so that other agencies or organizations can reproduce and distribute the materials. Don't overlook new or small production companies that are willing to be flexible in scheduling and in costs.
Media
Contact the various media outlets to review their coverage areas or the audiences they reach and their availability for scheduling your materials. Determine which media outlets will agree to use the materials you produce without charging for broadcast time or print space. In some instances you may be able to structure an arrangement for combination production and broadcast or use of your completed materials. The combination could be that you only pay for production of the materials by a TV or radio station and they agree to broadcast the materials without additional cost.
How to Minimize Failure
Make a list of everything you believe could go wrong with your program, including items within your control and those over which you have no control. Develop a contingency plan to counteract those problems that could have a major impact on your program and then those that would have little impact. Then evaluate your contingency plan to include additional options in the event your initial response fails. Be prepared and plan for the worst situations. Good planning will minimize the possibility of failure.
Targets for Materials
Primary
This is where you use the information you obtained from analyzing the situation and problem areas from previous elections and survey results. Based on that analysis, you can easily determine your primary targets for your information and education materials.
For example, one of your primary targets may be all eligible voters. However because of changes in the law, you may need to have parallel information going to candidates or political parties. So they would also be a primary target even though you do not use all the media or resources available to you to reach this audience.
Secondary
Again, using the data extracted from your research, you can easily determine secondary targets for information. Your research may have shown that young voters, between the ages of 18 and 25, living in urban areas, are not inclined or interested in participating in the electoral process. You may want to target materials to that audience. The same research may indicate, women living in rural areas are not likely to vote. Other materials should be targeted to that audience. By carefully reviewing the results of your research, it should become apparent where your information materials should be directed.
Spillover
Don't overlook the opportunity to reach a larger audience with the same basic materials. For example, all the materials you distribute will be of interest to NGOs and some of the international community. Also, some materials that you may prepare for specific targeted groups, such as women in rural areas, may also be applicable, with minor modifications, to women in urban areas. This is a very effective way to maximize the use of available resources and minimize the impact on your budget.
Media Responsibility
While there may some concern about responsible media, it should be understood that as the democratic process becomes institutionalized so will the responsibilities of the media in a democratic society. Freedom of expression by the media, radio, television and print, are a symbol of democracy. The manner in which the media use their freedom carries an obligation to serve the society and public as a whole. Because of this need to serve the public, the media inherit a public trust. The media have a responsibility to conduct their operations at all times in a professional manner and to exercise critical and discerning judgment which respects and advances the rights and dignity of all people and maintains standards of good taste as reflected by the society and public served. The media must enrich the daily life of the people they serve through information, education and entertainment; they must provide for the fair discussion of matters of public concern; engage in works directed toward the common good; and volunteer aid and comfort in times of stress and emergency.
The media have a responsibility to support the official voter information and education program on a pro-bono basis with regard to broadcast time on radio and television and print space in newspapers and magazines. Arrangements should be made with appropriate representatives of the media to implement this policy during the electoral process.
Marketing & Media Strategy
General
In planning your marketing and media strategy you want to use all of your resources so that you will achieve the greatest impact in the most cost-effective manner and still accomplish your goals and objectives. In order to do this you must ensure all your materials are focused on the objectives. Develop a theme for your program and ensure all your materials are linked with this theme. For example: a theme for elections could be, «Vote! Your future is in your hands.» A sample theme for registration could be, «If you don't register, you can't vote.» Make your materials creative and entertaining and informative. Keep the message simple for each of your materials. This is most important when using media to communicate complex information usually associated with the electoral process. Review each subject area and if necessary, release multiple simple messages. Since you will be using more than one medium for your materials, you should be sure the materials complement and support each other. It is also important to coordinate the release of your materials in order to achieve maximum impact.
Television
Television can be the most effective of the media to communicate a message. However, it will probably be the most expensive to use. Therefore you should evaluate its potential effectiveness before committing your limited resources to this medium. How much of the target audience will it reach? What are the viewing habits of the target audience? What are the capabilities of the production facilities available? If this medium will reach a significant portion of your target audience and the resources are available for its use, TV should be the primary medium for your program.
TV Materials
Plan to use a combination of types of materials. The most effective are a variety of short spot announcements used in combination with in-depth programs and with support from other media. Remember that with the broadcast media, repetition is essential to creating an understanding of the message. The message must be simple. For maximum effectiveness, it should be delivered in a creative manner. When possible, avoid the «talking head»-a person standing before the camera reading a message.
Collateral Use of Materials
When producing television materials, remember that many of the products used in the production may also be used in other media. For example, graphics can be used in newspapers, print media and posters. The audio from television may be used on the radio and other audio outlets. In-depth TV programs can also be broadcast by radio. Where possible involve the audience in live television call-in programs. Usually materials produced for the media can also be used or adapted for training.
Radio
Usually one of the broadcast media will be the dominant or primary medium to reach the target audiences. However, if both broadcast media are available, they should be coordinated for maximum impact. If radio reaches 95% of the target audience and TV only reaches 70%, then radio should be the dominant medium. But if there is less than a 15% difference in the coverage of these media, then television should be the dominant medium for your program. However, radio's capability should not be underestimated. It can be very effective if used properly, particularly in those areas where television coverage is not available. Be sure to take advantage of the differences between radio and television.
Newspapers
As with the broadcast media, you need to know the coverage of the various newspapers. Find out who reads which newspapers. Know the distribution of each newspaper. Determine which target audiences can be reached with the newspapers. Keep the focus of your campaign by coordinating the use of the materials so that newspapers complement and support the broadcast media.
Materials
Most election laws require publication of official notices in newspapers. These legal notices are usually very technical and should be considered as additional exposure for the information and education program. Display ads and banners can use some of the graphics from television materials. Do not overlook the use of regular news stories or articles, based on press releases you make, to support your program. Carry your theme through the newspaper materials as well.
Other Print Media
There are a variety of other print media, including magazines, that can be used successfully in an effective voter information and education program. By coordinating and planning for the use of these materials, you can expand the reach of your program.
Posters
Usually you should plan for both motivational and informational posters. Use the materials from display ads where possible. In some cases the reverse should be used. Create the poster first, then use it for display ads in the newspapers and magazines and in the background for TV spots or programs.
Poster Contest
There are several inexpensive ways to get fresh ideas and involve citizens in the electoral process. One way is to involve a college or university with an art and design curriculum. Ask the school to assign a class project to design motivational and informational posters for your program. Select one or more of the student's designs. Schools are usually eager to expose their students to the commercial world and students would like to have practical commercial experience in their portfolios. Also, students use modern techniques to communicate information with the result very appealing to young audiences. The creators of the selected posters should be given at least a certificate of appreciation or other formal recognition for their work in addition to credit on the poster.
The poster program can be expanded by conducting a slogan contest for the general public. Arrangements could be made with a newspaper or other medium to solicit slogans from the public for the posters and voter information media campaign. The newspaper or other medium could publish the selected slogan of the day or week and give credit to the person submitting the winning entry. You can then select the slogan(s) you want to use in your information and education program. You have now involved the general public in the electoral process and received considerable favorable publicity in support of the effort. You must allow sufficient time for the contest and development of the poster. This should be done three to six months before the elections. This same contest can be used in conjunction with the Private or Religious Sectors or with NGOs. This requires proper planning and lead-time.
Flyers
Flyers are a good way to reach small groups of a target audience. For example, one way to reach women in rural areas would be to distribute flyers at markets frequented by them. Flyers can be designed as «keepers» or «throw-aways.» For «keepers» you want the recipient to keep the flyer for future reference, while «throw-aways» are intended to be read and possibly passed to another person, but most likely discarded. Informational flyers should be «keepers.» Motivational flyers could be simple reproductions of posters.
Letterhead & Stationery
This is a no-cost and often overlooked opportunity to enhance your voter information and education program. Every letter or official correspondence issued by the government or at a minimum your agency should have a slogan or message printed or typed at the bottom of the first page of the document. The slogan or message can also be printed or typed on the envelope. This same effort can be expanded to the Private and Religious Sectors and NGOs.
Unusual Print Media
Coasters distributed in cafes and bars can be very effective with messages designed for voters who frequent those places. Paper place-mats frequently used in fast food restaurants can also be used to carry a motivational or informational message in support of your program. Shopping bags, either plastic or paper are another opportunity for unusual exposure. If these items are not within your budget, perhaps the Private Sector can be of assistance.
Cinemas
Determine what audience you can reach through this medium. Then evaluate if the production costs would justify the anticipated results. In some cases, cinemas may agree to handle the formatting of your materials at no additional cost. Most cinemas have the capability to use slides during breaks between movies. Some of the graphic materials used for television or display ads in newspapers can be converted to slides and used by cinemas. Some cinemas may use film clips that can be attached to previews shown between movies. This is more expensive than producing a spot for television, but if the budget permits and the TV spot can be filmed instead of taped, you will have dual use of the finished production. The cinemas are also an ideal location for posters since they routinely use posters to promote coming attractions. Materials for the cinemas can be either motivational or informational.
Sound Trucks or Vehicles
These should be considered for areas where mass media are not adequate or available. They can fill the gaps in regular media coverage. These can be very effective in small towns or villages. It is possible to use the audio from radio spots supplemented with local announcements. Informational and motivational messages can be used in this medium. The messages have to be very short. Usually this medium is most effective when used just a few days prior to the event. Extended use is not recommended.
Press Briefings & Releases
It is important that your information and education program be conducted in an open and transparent manner with equal and free access to the press and media. However there are certain steps you should take to be sure your program is «proactive» and not «reactive.»
First, establish a process of review and approval for all materials produced and released. Designate one person to be the official spokesperson for your office. Ensure that person knows the law and electoral process and is fully informed of all policies and events.
Schedule press briefings or conferences on a regular basis and maintain a system of routine press releases. Ensure the releases are distributed to all the media. Schedule interviews by representatives of the media with key officials in your office. Increase the frequency of release of information before each particular electoral event occurs.
Other
Some areas have very routine but different methods of communicating local information. For example, Bell Criers may walk through some villages announcing important local information.
Set up discussion or support groups or seminars for political parties and candidates, local community organizations, unions and labor organizations, activists and NGOs. Create special events where the public is invited such as «Town Hall» or other local type meetings. Increase the exposure of key officials in the Elections' Offices.
Hotline
If the technical facilities exist, establish a national hotline to respond to inquiries from the public. If possible, this should be a «toll free» telephone number that can be accessed throughout the country. If a national hotline is not possible, setup a designated local number as a hotline for each municipality or local community. Where possible, automate the service to respond to the most frequently asked questions. The automated process can be a simple telephone answering machine with a recording of responses to the most frequently asked questions.
Private Sector
It is in the long-term interests of all citizens, and in particular the business community and the private sector, to instill further the foundation of democratic principles. This will stabilize and enhance business and community development. Democracy is not a spectator sport, citizens and public and private sectors must be involved to make it work. Citizens and the business community will benefit from even the smallest element of support. The following are examples of support the Private Sector and business community can provide for a voter information and education program. Most of this support can be provided at no additional cost to the business or private organization.
Internal
Pay or Earning Statements
Print the official theme or slogan on employee pay or earnings statements to alert them of the various steps occurring in the electoral process. Example: «Registration ends (day) (month), Register now to vote!» «If you don't register now, you can't vote.»
Newsletters
Place articles in internal company newsletters to encourage employees to register and vote. The elections authorities should provide background information or draft articles.
Company Meetings
Become a more visible, non-partisan supporter of the electoral process. Mention the importance of being registered and voting at group meetings with employees. Encourage employees to review the candidates, party platforms and issues so they can be informed voters.
Slogan/Poster Contest
Initiate a slogan/poster contest among employees to encourage voter participation. Form a committee to select the winners or have employees vote for winning entry. Give recognition or award a small prize to the winning entry and post it on company bulletin boards. Consider publishing the winning entry in one of the public advertisements of the business. Issue a press release about the program and the winner.
Associations or organizations of business groups, such as the equivalent of a Chamber of Commerce, could extend the slogan/poster contest further by having each business member submit their winning entry for competition among all members. An award could be given to the winning business.
External
Tag Advertisements
Include «tags» in all advertising, TV, radio, newspaper, banners, etc. The «tags» should encourage citizens to participate in the electoral processes.
Add a «tag» or slogan on materials normally printed or distributed by the company-examples: beer coasters, place-mats for fast food restaurants, wrappers for products, corporate letterhead, mail indicia placed on envelopes by postal meters.
Public Service Support
Sponsor (pay for) specific public service messages in the media encouraging citizens to participate in the electoral process. The «tag» at the end of these sponsored announcements could say, «This message was brought to you as a public service by Company XYZ.» By doing this, the business receives additional publicity through name recognition, and the citizens benefit because they have received an informative message.
Religious Sector
Support from this sector is not possible in every country, but do not overlook this potential source of support. Before enlisting this support, meet with the religious leaders to ensure there is no misunderstanding that you are soliciting support for informing and educating citizens about the electoral process. This support should be «non-partisan.» The following are examples the type of support that could be given by the Religious Sector.
Bulletin Boards
Place a slogan or flyer on bulletin boards to encourage eligible citizens to participate in the electoral process. Emphasize particular electoral events as they occur. Example: «Vote your choice on (day) (month), Vote for your Future!»
Publications
Include articles in weekly church bulletins or other publications to encourage all eligible citizens to participate in the electoral process. The elections authority should provide background information or draft articles.
Tag Materials
Add a «tag» or a slogan that encourages or informs citizens of the electoral process to materials normally printed or distributed by the religious community-examples: Weekly Bulletins, notices of community events read at weekly church services, letterhead, mail indicia placed on envelopes by postal meters.
Meetings
Be a non-partisan supporter of the electoral process. Mention the importance of participating in the electoral process at meetings of parishioners.
Slogan/Poster Contest
Initiate a slogan/poster contest among the youth or other organizations of the church to encourage voter participation. Form a committee to select the winners or have parishioners vote for winning entry. Give recognition or award a small prize to the winning entry and post it on bulletin boards or in internal publications. Issue a press release about the program and the winner.
The slogan contest could be extended further by having each parish submit its winning entry for competition among all parishes in a diocese. Develop an award that could be given to the winning parish.
NGOs
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are a good, inexpensive outlet for many of your materials. These are usually not-for-profit organizations that receive funding support from a variety of foundations, organizations or other government aid projects. They usually have a reliable network of supporters in-country. Meet with the heads of these organizations to see what specific support they can give you. At a minimum, they should be willing to reproduce and distribute the materials you produce for your voter information and education program.
Special Training and Seminars
Plan special training and education programs or seminars for NGOs. This will help ensure they understand what you are trying to accomplish with your voter information and education program and help ensure that the information they prepare and disseminate is accurate.
Source for Feedback
Maintain a regular strategy of briefing NGOs on your plans and programs. Also, use them as a source for feedback about your program. Solicit suggestions for improvements or changes.
Internet
An official Web site should be established for the electoral process on the Internet. If the in-country technology to support this effort is not available, the official site can be established and maintained by any service provider in the world. It is desirable but not essential that it be located in-country.
Access
The Internet site should be considered as an official source of information about the entire electoral process. Most colleges and universities have access to the Internet. It is another good way to reach students and the academic community. It is also an effective way to communicate information to the media. A very important additional benefit is the impact it can have on the international community. This is an opportunity to disseminate «unfiltered» information to the world about your electoral process.
Content
The site should provide the complete text of the Election laws, and Rules and Regulations. It should provide current information about the election process. All press releases and other news releases should be posted on the site. A special domain name should be registered for the site as a further indication of the official status of the site. Copies of all forms and applications should be available on the Internet. A list of all the candidates including biographical information can be posted. Audio and video clips of the voter information and education program should also be available. The election returns should also be posted. There should be an email address so interested citizens can submit questions.
Integrate Electoral Process
It is also possible to post the list of registered voters so citizens can check their names on the list. While there may be a limited number of citizens who would have direct access to the Internet, it could be used by an NGO or international agency to provide the assistance to the citizens.
In the not too distant future, voting via the Internet will be one way elections are conducted.
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