Direct Contact Methods
Direct contact methods of informing voters on voting issues vary in complexity and costs, from the simple method of meetings to sophisticated electronic systems. In assessing cost-effectiveness, it is important to recognise the effectiveness advantages that direct contact methods have, i.e., there is a guarantee that information is going to its intended target. In assessing appropriateness, the reliability and target population coverage that can be achieved by delivery systems for direct contact methods need to be carefully considered.
Personal Contact
Simple direct personal contact through meetings or information centres may be a highly appropriate voter information focus in areas or societies with poor media penetration and particularly of lower literacy. In areas where literacy levels are low, use of personal contact is generally the single most dependable method by which voter information can be imparted to all levels of society.
In other environments, direct contact methods in general are a useful complement to broader media use. Provision of some personal contact facility will allow explanation of more complex issues and interactive response to voter questions and concerns. Where direct personal contact methods are used, staff involved should be provided with standard question-and-answer sheets for common voter information questions and concerns, to assist consistency of information imparted.
Meetings
Mass or targeted meetings of voters can be used to provide some basic information concepts, such as how and when to vote, but may be less successful in providing information on where to vote, unless targeted to distinct geographic communities. Where mass media accessibility is poor, meetings can be a most effective front-line information tool. Use of civic and voter educators in this information role provides a skilled staffing base. Targeted meetings can be a more effective means than other media for reaching small groups of voters with specific information needs such as small minorities using different languages and the visually or aurally impaired.
In environments where voting, or the system of voting to be used, may be an unfamiliar experience, informing voters of the correct procedures for voting may best be achieved through simulated activity--in this the information and voter education programs overlap. Setting up mock voting stations in community centres (or in actual voting station premises, if these are available) in the days before election day and guiding voters through a test run of the voting process is a highly effective voter education process for those who attend. Civic educators and voting operations staff trainers may be appropriate persons to conduct such activities.
While a highly effective method for assisting voters to understand what they will need to do on voting day, to undertake such an exercise on a comprehensive scale will require both considerable organisational and management skill and the availability and training of a large pool of skilled educators. It can be an unwieldy exercise to undertake close to voting day and would be better undertaken, if at all possible, as part of longer-term voter education. If undertaken, care must be taken to ensure that there can be no perception of political bias in the manner in which people are shown how to vote, nor any involvement of political parties or candidates in this official information process.
Use of Inquiry Centres
Use of voting operations administration offices at the local and regional levels or specially designated inquiry centres for in-person voting information inquiries provides a facility more responsive to individual voting information needs. While less pro-active and cost-effective than organising meetings, and often of using printed information, their strength lies in the breadth and detail of information that can be provided and their effectiveness in media-deficient and less literate areas. Staffing such facilities can be a considerable drain on trained resources where voter information personnel are in short supply. If this method is being considered for use, the ability to effectively staff such centres needs to be carefully examined.
Locations for inquiry centres are better targeted to mass population movement centres, such as transport hubs, shopping or market areas, or special events. Staff used in such centres should receive training both in voting procedures and effective interviewing skills.
Telephone Information Services
Telephone information services can be used both before and during voting day to provide specific answers to voters questions. How effective they will be will depend on the penetration and reliability of telephone services. Costs of hiring and training additional staff for such services and whether additional premises and telephone equipment is required for reasonable service will determine if they are cost-effective.
(For further discussion of telephone information services, see Use of Telephone Information Services and Approaching Military and Police Forces.)
Advice of Correct Voting Station
In more literate societies, providing print information directly to voters on the location of their voting stations can be useful. Where voter identification cards are provided to all voters for an election as further verification, these could also contain information on:
- the correct voting station to attend and day and hours of voting;
- how to correctly complete the ballot.
Ability to provide information in this way will depend on the timing of printing of voter identification cards in relation to determination of voting sites. (For further discussion of advice of correct voting station, see Information on Voting Locations and Hours.)
A less targeted direct method is to bulk mail drop a flyer showing the voting station locations to households throughout each voting station's area. This is the most cost-effective and commonly used method. It is not a perfect means, since there may be recent arrivals in the area still registered to vote elsewhere, and controls over the borders of such drops may be difficult to make fully effective. Such flyers should always emphasise that voters should check where they are eligible to vote.
Posters in public places, identifying voting station locations within specific geographic areas, can also be useful.
It would also be normal that there will be some voters who attend the wrong voting station to vote, and facilities for redirecting such voters should be in place at voting stations. However, a carefully designed information program will minimise this number.
General Voting Guides
Comprehensive voting guides, pitched to the general literacy levels of the society, provided directly to voters' home addresses and/or made available in public institutions or places can provide useful, relatively cheap (compared to media buying) and comprehensive basic information on issues such as:
- how to contact voting operations administrators for further information;
- the location of voting stations (including maps);
- any special voting facilities and how to apply for them;
- how to complete a ballot;
- contesting candidate and party information.
These general guides can also be used to promote more specific voter information services, such as office or telephone inquiry services locations, times, and telephone numbers. (For an example of comprehensive voter guides, see Your Guide to Voting in the 1996 Election - New Zealand.)
Where mail services are reliable, delivering these guides by mail direct to voters gives assured access to the complete target audience. Where mail services are not reliable (or relatively expensive), using temporary election staff or other contractors for house-to-house delivery may be feasible.
Specific voter information guides are also useful to provide information on facilities available for minority groups (and any special arrangements being taken for their security, where these are necessary), the physically impaired, and groups such as security forces for whom special voting arrangements are available. Distribution of these materials through relevant community, language, medical, or support groups effectively targets the intended audience.
Voting by Mail
For voting by mail, providing voter information directly to voters with the mailed-out ballot is essential. This material should, at the minimum, provide clear instructions to voters on:
- how to complete the ballot;
- how to complete accompanying forms containing personal information required for checking voter eligibility and/or validity of the vote;
- how to correctly seal the ballot in its envelope(s);
- the specified location to which and date by which the ballot must be returned by mail.
Where elections are wholly by mail, such information may also be required by law to include authorised statements of platforms by the candidates. (See Guide to Constitutional Convention Election, Australia.)
Use of Electronic Communications
In highly developed societies, delivering voter guides and similar information wherever possible by electronic mail (e-mail) over the Internet directly to registered voters has been found to be extremely cost-effective, because:
- transmission costs are negligible;
- reaching the target voter is nominally assured;
- there are no print costs to the electoral management body;
- existing infrastructure can be used.
