This question is posted by ACE on behalf of Mazen Alkadi, Chairman of University Youth Foundation for Development (UNYFOU).

I am looking for experiences of successful campaigns for raising citizen awareness during the voter registration process، This is for use in a project I am currently working on to raise awareness about the registration process and the voter list in Yemen. At this stage the Supreme Commission for Elections and Referendum (SCER) is starting preparations for establishing the register of voters electronically.

Greetings,

Mazen Alkadi

 

Summary of Responses 

Practitioners' Network (PN) members addressed this question by referring to international examples of how election and voting awareness is raised. The recommendations are categorized into raising awareness within two specific focus groups – the media and local outreach. This is followed by some general recommendations. A summary of the responses follows: 

1) Media Awareness 

• Voter education and sensitization methods, tools and instruments (public outreach) depend by and large on the context of the country in which the event is taking place, especially when account is taken of the emergence and availability of multifarious social media and modern communication tools. 
• Present the information in the languages of each nation. 
• Before and during the election, the media campaign should have a daily broadcast of radio and television programs that focus on electoral content and public awareness. The following actions should be undertaken:
• Conducting the campaign in the form of advertising and radio (30 - 60 seconds) in French and local languages, on enrollment, withdrawal of voting cards and voting
• The establishment of an information distribution server for young people by SMS, on timelines etc. 
• The preparation and dissemination of communication materials containing key messages on Elections (posters, brochures, caps ...)
• The impulse of thematic debates on the electoral process in order to make it transparent and credible, while broadening citizen participation. Topics may include: youth and elections, women and elections etc. 
• The media should raise awareness on the secrecy of the vote, information on the various parties/candidates in competition, and the procedures of voting. 

2) Concentrated local awareness 

• Strategically placing advertisements in entertainment spaces, transport stations, university spaces, and mobile buses within the countryside
• Emphasis should be placed on the local know how and experience, in terms of real possibilities to encourage voters. 
• Creation of a consultation framework in districts, counties, towns, and townships. This will educate voters about electoral rights and procedures in local languages
• Awareness using role plays, projections, and skits that focus on electoral operations (enrollment, vote, etc.)
• Establishment of caravans and mobile messengers for reaching all populations in rural and urban areas

3) General Recommendations 

• The development of a good awareness campaign should be based on four main points:
• Elections and democracy- voters should know why they need to participate in the operation and how it impacts the functioning of society.
• The role, responsibility and rights of voters to motivate them. 
• People’s votes count- Whatever system is used, a voice can still make a difference. 
• Votes are secret. This is for protecting voters.
• Beyond these four principles, the EMB should take into account the realities of its environment, the context in which the transaction takes place, and focus its messages according to these realities.
• Pre-set messages can be an asset to explore, but one must consider the political, social and cultural context of each nation and set the messages accordingly. 
• Whether awareness through the media or proximity, it is important to develop clear messages that are neutral and informative on the electoral process. 
• It is also important to promote the popularization and understanding of official documents (electoral law, electoral system, procedures etc.). 

 

4) International Examples  

Sierra Leone 

• In Sierra Leone, where there are socio-economic and infrastructural limitations on the use of the media, the Electoral Commission relied very heavily on the use of person-to-person mobile contact using battery-powered megaphones to address public meetings at defined community levels.
• The strategy was centred on community-based people selected from the array of stakeholders in the political process (political parties, women groups, youths, disabilities representatives, traditional leaders, religious leaders), at the lowest political unit of representation (Ward).
• Dubbed as WEECs (Ward Electoral Education Committees), these groups operated as the sensitization organ of the EMB under the direction and supervision of coordinators appointed by the Commission.
• The role of these person-to-person committees greatly supplemented the conventional outreach strategies of the print, electronic and social media in whipping up campaigns. This was prior to the Commission’s first biometric voter registration drive for the 2012 multiple elections, for which the turnout was massive.

Bangladesh 

In 2012 and 2014, huge campaigns were conducted:

• TV Broadcasts
• Advertisement in the newspapers
• Awareness programme in the radio and community radio
• Hung banners with essential messages in the important locations 
• Distributed leaflets in educational institutions, public gatherings etc.
• Used loudspeakers and called people to become voters
• Made announcements though the mike/sound system of mosques
• Theatre in public places etc. 

Cameroon

The EMB which is Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) uses:

• Radio Alerts over as many Radio Stations as they could reach.
• A radio programme every Tuesday at 5 pm, on Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV).
• Television slots- sketches and awareness messages.
• Banners and flyers.
• Meetings with Stakeholders.
• Traditional Heads talk to their subordinates who then pass on the message to the appropriate quarters.
• Quarter Heads do the same during meetings.
• Meeting buyers and sellers in market places.
• All branch heads supervised a monthly free journal, designed for creating awareness.
• Regular interviews to journalists were granted by the EMB Heads (President and Director General) as well as other Directors directly involved.
• The Electoral Board Members do field visits, during which they meet and talk with government authorities heading those areas, who explain to their population, the purpose and importance of their visits.
• Cameroon is a bilingual country, so all of this is done in both French and English.

Kenya

The Kenyan experience was varied but helped register 14.3 Million in 30 days. Some of the youth friendly methods used included:

• Use of University and college student volunteers to help bring out others to register. 
• Use of sports events.
• Voter registration Marathons done in major cities like Mombasa and Eldoret. 
• Football/soccer tournaments at Ward/Constituency levels. 
• Use of music, drama, and roads show caravans all over the country.
• Door-to-door/face to face campaigns.
• Use of religious and traditional religious leaders, events and occasions.
• Use of popular social media such as facebook, whattsapp and twitter.
• Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. IEBC has a very active Facebook page and is perhaps most followed public institution in Kenya. 
• Use of electronic bill boards in strategic locations that thousands of commuters pass
• For example, bill boards on both sides of the Likoni ferry in Mombasa and along major roundabouts and road junctions. 
• Of course use of all radio and TV stations, print and electronic media, including major media events, talk shows and advertising. 
• Use of various stakeholders and partners such as, political parties, local leaders, special interest groups etc. 
• Civil society, media, government agencies, schools, colleges and universities among others

 

Contributing Members 

• Aiah Stephen Mattia
• Abdul Alim
• Susana Dione Ngole Epie
• Dogon Guida Saidou
• Víctor Hugo Ajila
• Agbokousse Adje Ayao 
• Mourad Wederni 
• Evelyne Ogandaga
• Abdiwahidi Hussein
• Hadiatou Ouattara

 

Voter education and sensitization methods, tools and instruments (public outreach) depend by and large on the context of the country in which the event is taking place, especially when account is taken of the  emergence and availability of multifarious social media modern communication tools (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube), the radio, TV and cable networks, etcetera.

 

In Sierra Leone, where there are socio-economic and infrastructural limitations on the use of the above named media, the Electoral Commission relied very heavily on the use of person-to-person mobile contact using battery-powered megaphones to address public meetings at defined community levels.

 

The strategy centered on community-based people selected from the array of stakeholders in the political process (political parties, women groups, youths, disabilities representatives, traditional leaders, religious leaders), at the lowest political unit of representation (Ward).

 

Dubbed as WEECs (Ward Electoral Education Committees), these groups operated as the sensitization organ of the EMB, under the direction and supervision of Coordinators appointed by the Commission.

 

The role of these person-to-person committees greatly supplemented the conventional outreach strategies of the print, electronic and social media in whipping up campaigns prior to the Commission’s first biometric voter registration drive for the 2012 multiple elections, for which the turnout was massive.

 

Bangladesh could be a good example of raising citizen awareness during voter registration and updating. In 2007-08, when the electoral roll with photograph was prepared and later in 2010, 2012 and 2014 it was updated, huge campaign was conducted:

• broadcast TVC in the TV channels
• advertisement in the newspapers
• awareness programme in radio and community radio
• hanging banners with essential message in the important places
• distribution leaflets in the educational institutions, public gatherings etc
• miking/use loudspeakers and called people to become voters
• used mosques on Fridays as well as announcement though the mike/sound system of mosques
• Drama in public places etc
  

 

 

In addition to what Abdul has just mentioned, In Cameroon, the EMB which is Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) uses:

* Radio Alerts over as many Radio Stations as they could reach;

* A radio programme every Tuesday at 5 pm, on Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV);

* Television slots: sketches and awareness messages;

* Banners and flyers;

* Meetings with Stakeholders;

* Traditional Heads talk to their subordinates who then pass on the message to the appropriate quarters;

* Quarter Heads does same, during meetings;

* Meeting Buyers and Sellers in Market Places;

* All Branch Heads supervised a monthly free journal, designed for creating awareness;

* Regular interviews to journalists were granted by the EMB Heads (President and Director General) as well as other Directors directly involved;

* The Electoral Board Members does field visits, during which they meet and talk with  Government Authorities heading those areas, who explains to their population, the purpose and importance of their visits;

* Note worthy is the fact that: since Cameroon is a bilingual country, all of these is done in both French and English.

 

Pour une prise de conscience générale

 

De nos jours, beaucoup considèrent la participation des citoyens au processus électoral comme une perte de temps, comme quelque chose qui n’intéresse que les hommes politiques. Ils sont leurs à en tirer profit, on estime à tort ou à raison.  D’où cette tendance à ne pas enregistrer son nom  sur la liste électorale ou même à ne pas voter quand bien même on a sa carte électorale.

 

Pour un changement de comportement, les hommes politiques ont dû changer de méthode.

 

Les états-majors des partis politiques ont inscrit dans leur agenda la formation des militants : une appropriation des textes fondateurs de la République et une meilleure connaissance des institutions : constitution ou loi suprême, charte des partis politiques, instituions de la république et tous droits ou autres prérogatives individuelles reconnus à tout citoyen.

 

Les hommes politiques d’abord,  l’Etat et particulièrement  la Commission Electorale  Nationale Indépendante (CENI), sont amenés à apprendre à la population leurs droits et devoirs mais aussi les avantages qu’ils peuvent tirer en participant à la vie politique de la nation.

 

Les masses media sont mises à contribution pour atteindre la population à travers des débats en langues officielle et nationales, des sketches et messages pour amener la population à une prise de conscience générale.

 

De fois, sont mis à contribution les leaders d’opinion.

 

Finalement, la population ou plus précisément le peuple, a pris conscience qu’il est le pourvoyeur du pouvoir, le faiseur du roi, grâce à son inscription à la liste électorale et grâce à son vote.

 

Experiencias exitosas son las campañas de comunicación sobre la forma de construir el registro electoral, explicar lo que se va a hacer y cuáles son los objetivos que se espera alcanzar. Otro aspecto positivo es hablar el propio idioma o lengua de la población; si en un país se hablan varios dialectos es deseable que se comunique en los de mayor número de hablantes.

También resulta exitoso hacer una campaña de expectativa previo a implementar el proyecto; y por último, un recurso exitoso es resaltar el valor del voto de cada elector; decir que cada persona es libre de decidir y una de las formas de hacerlo es con el voto.

Saludos cordiales

La sensibilisation pour l'inscription sur la liste électorale revêt une importance particulière pour la réussite d'un processus électoral. Un fichier mal conçu laisse planer la fraude électorale. S'il s'agisse d'une révision ou d'un recensement électoral, la sensensiblistion est la toute première étape de cette opération.

La sensibilisation incombe au premier chef à l'organisme chargé de la gestion des élections (OGE) et à divers degrés aux organisations de la société civile (OSC), aux médiats, aux parties politiques. Pour faire une sensibilisation, il faut une formation dont les modules doivent être adaptés aux types d'élections. Aussi me paraît-il important de structurer la sensibilisation en deux grandes parties.

- La formation des sensibilisateurs;

- L'opération de sensibilisation

اصدقائي الاعزاء

خلال التجربة التونسية ركزنا على حملات التحسيس داخل الاسواق الشعبية 

فضاءات الترفيه 

محطات النقل 

الفضاءات الجامعية 

كما انصح بالتعويل كثيرا على الحافلات المتنقلة داخل  الارياف

حظ سعيد

La participation régulière aux échéances électorales de la plus grande frange de la population est un gage de la consolidation effective du processus démocratique. Pour ce faire, elle a fortement besoin d’être constamment appuyée par des campagnes de sensibilisation et de communication pour leur rappeler le devoir civique de voter.

La stratégie de sensibilisation des populations au processus électoral passe par divers canaux et moyens d’expression dont:

 

-         La sensibilisation par les médias ;

 

-         La sensibilisation de proximité

 

La sensibilisation par les médias

 

Avant et pendant le scrutin, la campagne médiatique est axée sur la diffusion quotidienne d’émissions radiophoniques et de télévision à fort contenu électoral et sur la sensibilisation des populations à se faire enrôler et à accomplir leur devoir civique. Les actions suivantes pourraient être menées :

 

-         Le déroulement de la campagne sous la forme de spots publicitaires et radiophoniques de 30 à 60 secondes en français et en langues locales sur les inscriptions, le retrait des cartes d’électeurs et le vote ;

 

 -       La mise en place d’un serveur de diffusion d’informations destinées aux jeunes par SMS, sur les échéances et certaines notions du processus électoral… ;

 

 -        La confection et diffusion de supports de communication contenant des messages clés sur les élections (affiches, dépliants, casquettes ...) ;

 

-         L’impulsion de débats thématiques sur le processus électoral en vue de le rendre transparent et crédible, tout en élargissant la participation des citoyens. Les thèmes abordés peuvent être les suivants :

 

o   jeunes et élections ;

 

o   femmes et élections ;

 

o   le choix des femmes avec des messages spécifiques pour accroître la participation des femmes à la vie publique ;

 

o   le secret du scrutin, un aspect crucial le jour du vote ;

 

o les informations sur les différents partis et candidats en compétition ;

 

o   les procédures du vote.

 

la campagne de proximité

 

 -         Sensibilisation de proximité (réseaux, associations, groupements, marché, lieux de cultes…)

 

-         Création d’un cadre de concertation dans les arrondissements, départements, villages, cantons… qui permettront de sensibiliser  les électeurs sur les droits et procédures électoraux en langues locales ;

 

 -         Sensibilisation par des jeux de rôles, des projections, des sketchs… sur les opérations électorales (enrôlement, vote, ...) ;

 

 -         Mise en place des caravanes et messagers mobiles permettant de toucher toutes les populations en milieu rural et urbain ;

 

 

 

Qu’il s’agisse de la sensibilisation par les médias ou de proximité, il est important de concevoir des messages clairs, neutres et informatifs portant sur le processus électoral, favorisant la vulgarisation et la compréhension des textes officiels (loi électorale, système électoral, procédures…) et incitant à se faire inscrire.

Cependant la stratégie devra tenir compte du milieu socio-culturel et économique de la localité concernée.

 

 

 

 

The Kenyan experience was varied but helped register 14.3 Million in 30 days. Some of the youth friendly methods used include:- Use of University and college stud re nt volunteers to help bring out youth and others to register; Use of sports events: Voter registration Marathons done in major cities like Mombasa and Eldoret, Also football/soccer tournaments at Ward/Constituency levels Use of Music and drama and roads show caravans all over the country Door-to-door face to face campaigns Use of religious and traditional religious leaders and religious and traditional/cultural events and occasions. Use of popular social media such as facebook,whattsapp and twitter.Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC( has very active Facebook page and is perhaps most followed public institution in Kenya. Use of electronic bill boards in strategic locations where thousands of commuters pass. For example bill boards on both sides of the Likoni ferry in Mombasa and along major roundabouts and road junctions. Of course use of all radio and TV stations,print and electronic media through out including major media events, talkshows and advertising. Use of various stakeholders and partners such as Leaders, political parties,local leaders,special interest groups, Civil society,Media,government agencies, schools,colleges and universities among others

Hadiatou Ouattara

La communication, la communication, rien que la communication. Pour que l'on s'intéresse à ce que tu dis, il faut d'abord qu'il sache de quoi tu parles. On a l'habitude de dire que l'OGE doit être une maison de verre(laisser transparaître tout ce qu'il fait comme activité)

L'un des mécanisme du succès d'une campagne de sensibilisation réussie c'est la communication, l'information et cela passe par une bonne communication sur le mode opératoire de l'activité à mener(inscription sur la liste etc.)

Mandela disait ce qui est fait sans moi est fait contre moi. En se basant sur cette assertion qui ma foi est le raisonnement logique de bon nombre d'opposants on ne peut que conclure que la réussite d'une campagne de sensibilisation doit être inclusive.

L'élaboration de bons messages pour une campagne de sensibilisation doit reposer sur quatre grands points:

• Election et démocratie=que l'on sache pourquoi participer à l'opération et quelle retombée cela peut avoir sur le fonctionnement de la société;
• Le rôle, la responsabilité et les droits des électeurs= motiver les électeurs;
• Votre vote compte= quelque soit le système utilisé, une voix peut toujours faire la différence;
• votre vote est secret= protection des électeurs.

Au delà de ces quatre principes, l'OGE dans la réussite de sa campagne devra prendre en compte les réalités de son environnement, le contexte dans lequel se déroule l'opération, l'enjeu du scrutin et orienter ses messages selon ces réalités.

Des messages préétablis peuvent être d'un atout à explorer, mais pour réussir sa campagne de sensibilisation en plus des quatre principes standards il faut une politique propre à soi et adaptée au contexte. Cela va de pair pour les canaux utilisés pour véhiculer les messages.

Hadiatou Ouattara

 

You can see Palestinian Central elections commission on website: www.elections.ps