This question was posted on behalf of Jakub Pakula.

Voter education can be based on legal and/or purely informational content, such as where and how to vote. But it can also include methods and content that engages citizens politically and leads them to further education that will enable them to make a conscious choice when voting. What kind of content (slogans, values, needs, conflict, interests, etc.) is the most successful in engaging potential voters in voting/politics? In other words, what kind of content in social projects most fosters in people the will to vote and to educate themselves in politics? Any research or experience is welcome.

Summary of Replies:

Practitioners shared a variety of experiences and suggestions about voter education content meant to motivate voters. Voter education should emphasize the benefits of democracy and the role voters play in a democracy. If voters understand the role they play in the system and feel it is important, they may be more likely to participate. If there are any incentives to vote, material or otherwise, voter education should stress these as a way to increase participation. To increase transparency, voters should be informed about the counting process and how their information is protected. Other suggested information voter education should contain included how the voting process works, documentation and other materials required to vote, when and where the vote will happen, whom or what the vote is for, and potential pitfalls in elections such as violence or bribery.

One practitioner noted that the environment in which voters participate can outweigh any voter education campaigns. They warned that if there is a widespread, justifiable belief that votes will not affect the election, voter education methods will not change behavior or engage voters. Trust in the electoral system and the administration of elections must exist for voter education to accomplish its goals. Finally, a practitioner shared examples of voter education content used in Guyana to increase voter participation during the 2016 local elections. (The document can be found in the responses below.)

The following resources available on ACE may also be helpful for anyone interested in this issue: the Voter Education entry in the ACE Encyclopaedia and several resources on ACE's extended learning page, including online courses and websites with voter education teaching and learning tools.

• Vishnu Persaud
• Francisco Barrera
• Nchimunya Michelo Silenga
• Charles Obot

Please find attached exemplars of a few messages that were publicised in Guyana to enthuse and motivate voters to exercise their franchise at the 2016 Local Government Elections.

Please find attached exemplars of a few messages that were publicised in Guyana to enthuse and motivate voters to exercise their franchise at the 2016 Local Government Elections.

Indicar la real función, para la que están los jurados  en la mesa de votación, además de controlar el votante, la forma de ingresar el voto, no puede motivar pero si ayudar, contando a los votantes por ejemplo:  que deben identificarse, que debe marcar o señalar los votos como lo indica la norma, los beneficios de la democracia que se obtienen con la votación, que deben depositar su voto y la forma de hacerlo, que deben reclamar su ID y su certificado de voto, después de ejercer su derecho a votar.

Ayudar a los electores, mostrando donde pueden votar, si están o no autorizados, o si deben desplazarse a otros lugares diferentes donde se encuentran. (Sistemas de información, manuales o automáticos).

Deben tener material  para mostrar (capacitar al elector), indicar los horarios de votación, la forma de hacer el conteo y registro de la votación, que no hacer, para no perder el voto y su derecho a ejercerlo.

Contarle a los electores, como y a donde se envía el material electoral usado en las elecciones, después de cerrar la votación, como hacer el conteo o cuenta de los votos, que seguridades existen en el proceso de votación y de escrutinios de mesa, quienes y como se resguarda la información electoral.

Si existe algún incentivo para el votante, promover para que el elector vote y reclame ese incentivo

The voter must be informed of:

When the vote will take place ie date and time;

Where the vote will take place;

Who ie is it Presidential, Parliamentary, Local government, Referendum or what whatever election it is;

What they should carry to the polling station ie identity cards or any other documentation depending on electoral laws of the country;

The voting process eg step 1 is identification, step 2 is marking/inking of finger, step 3 receipt of ballot paper, step 4 casting of vote, step 5 leave polling station;

The dos and donts during an election;

Other voter information that would be useful would be slogans against: violence, taking bribes etc...

No matter the contents, sophistication, volume or creativity that is brought to bear on voter education, if the electorate have justifiable reasons to believe that their votes would not count, may be due to past experiences, certainly there would be widespread voter apathy and voter abstention. Credible electoral system, truly independent/impartial electoral management body, impartial State actors/security agencies, etc are key components of an effective voter education environment.