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Transcript of 1 Voter Participation, Advertising and Outreach: Elections Canada’s Experience Miriam Lapp, Senior...
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Voter Participation, Advertising and Outreach: Elections Canada’s Experience
Miriam Lapp, Senior Advisor, Research and Outreach
First Inter-American Electoral Training SeminarMexico City
November 17-21, 2008
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Outline
1) What’s the issue?
2) Who’s responsible?
3) Elections Canada’s approach to date
4) Moving forward
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1) What’s the Issue?
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Voter Turnout in Canada• Federal general elections, 1945–2008
73.8%
60.9%
75.3% 75.3%75.3%
69.3%
71.0%
75.7%76.7%
74.8% 75.7%
67.5%
74.1%
79.4%
79.0%
79.2%
71.8%
69.6%
67.0%
64.1%
64.7%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
June 1
1, 1945
June 2
7, 1949
August 10, 1953
June 1
0, 1957
Marc
h 3
1, 1958
June 1
8, 1962
April 8
, 1963
Novem
ber
8, 1965
June 2
5, 1968
Octo
ber
30, 1972
July
8, 1974
May 2
2, 1979
Febru
ary
18, 1980
Septe
mber
4, 1984
Novem
ber
21, 1988
Octo
ber
26, 1992*
Octo
ber
25, 1993
June 2
, 1997
Novem
ber
27, 2000
June 2
8, 2004
January
23, 2006
Octo
ber
14, 2008**
*Constitutional Referendum
**Preliminary Results
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Turnout Trends by Age Group
-35%
-30%
-25%
-20%
-15%
-10%
-5%
0%
1988 1993 1997 2000
Born since 1970
Born in 1960s
Born 1945-1959
Born before 1945
Note: The turnout of the oldest age group in 1988 is used as the benchmark. Only people born in 1970 or earlier were eligible to vote in 1988, and so the tracking for the youngest generation begins in 1993.
Source: 1988, 1993, 1997, and 2000 Canadian Election Studies
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Turnout by Age in 2004 and 2006
• Turnout by 18- to 24-year-olds:– 37% in 2004– 44% in 2006
Source: EC turnout studies 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2004 39,6% 34,3% 37,0% 44,0% 54,5% 66,0% 72,9% 75,5% 63,9% 58,5%
2006 42,2% 44,2% 43,8% 49,8% 61,6% 70,0% 75,4% 77,5% 61,6% 62,8%
First-time eligible
P reviously eligible
18 to 24 yrs. 25 to 34 yrs. 35 to 44 yrs. 45 to 54 yrs. 55 to 64 yrs. 65 to 74 yrs.75 yrs. and
overAll
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Turnout Among Aboriginal People
• First Nations, Inuit, Métis
• 4% of Canadian population
• 18% are 15-24 years old
• Post-election surveys: 23% lower
• Higher rates reported by Métis and Inuit
• Higher rates reported off reserve
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Turnout Among Ethnocultural Communities
Ethnic Diversity Survey, 2002 (Statistics Canada)• Immigrant status alone is not a barrier. • “Newcomers” (post-1991) voted at lower rates than
established immigrants, all else equal.• Turnout varies between ethnocultural communities:
lowest rates found among visible minorities.• Lowest turnout rates: Young, foreign-born
individuals of Chinese origin (44.8%), and young, Canadian-born blacks (51%).
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Target Groups
• Youth• Aboriginal electors• Ethnocultural communities• Electors with special needs:
– Disabilities– Low literacy– Homeless
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2) Who’s Responsible?
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Mandate to Educate and Inform• Canada Elections Act (s. 18) gives the Chief
Electoral Officer of Canada the mandate to: – “Implement public education and information
programs to make the electoral process better known to the public, particularly to those persons and groups most likely to experience difficulties in exercising their democratic rights.”
– “Provide the public, both inside and outside Canada, with information relating to Canada’s electoral process, the democratic right to vote and how to be a candidate.”
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Elections Canada’s Strategic Plan 2008–2013
• Trust
• Accessibility
• Engagement– particular focus on youth engagement
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Key “How to Vote” or Accessibility Variables
• General population (lower SES)– Did not know where and when– Were not registered– Too busy/overworked
• Youth– Perception that registration and
voting are complicated– Registration coverage issues– High mobility leading to confusion
on where to vote– Too busy/overworked
• Aboriginal– Language/communication barriers– Remoteness of many Aboriginal
communities (accessibility)
• Ethnocultural/visible minority groups– Language/communication barriers– Misunderstanding of electoral
process– Need to register– Too busy/overworked (focus on
basic needs)• Electors with disabilities/homeless
electors– Accessibility problems– Lack of awareness on how to
register and vote– Information not accessible
• Seniors– Sickness or physical limitation
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Key “Why Vote” or Engagement Variables• General population (lower SES)
– Turned off by politics– Do not like any of the proposed
candidates– Do not know which candidate or
party to vote for– Think that voting does not matter
(cynicism)• Youth
– Lack of political knowledge/ understanding of how politics affects their lives
– Low interest/political apathy– Weaker sense of civic duty– Different priorities and interaction
with political process– Limited contact with parties and
candidates
• Aboriginal– Current and historical contexts– Perceived illegitimacy of voting– Perceived inability to influence the vote– Lack of contact with parties and
candidates– General feeling of exclusion
• Ethnocultural/visible minority groups– Lack of awareness of democratic rights– Traditional beliefs/experiences may
inhibit political engagement – Lack of candidates from ethnocultural
communities • Electors with disabilities
– Accessibility issues inhibiting political engagement
• Homeless electors– Fear that personal information will be
used by others (e.g. police)
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EMBs and Public Education:Mixed Expectations
• Legitimacy
• Trust
• Capacity
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3) Elections Canada’s Approach to Date
Focus on communications
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• Qualitative analysis of– Graphic elements– “Social issues” content vs. information
• Evolution of the creative process– Movement towards the “social issues” concept– Change of approach to communicate new ID rules– Potential use of social marketing campaign outside
an election period
We consulted the public on the creative concept: “Vote. Shape your world.”
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Television Concept 1 (30 seconds)
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Television Concept 2
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Television/Cinema (15 sec.)
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Campaign objectives for the 40th general election
• Encourage Canadian electors to exercise their right to vote
• Inform Canadian electors of the new identification rules to vote on election day:– Proving identity and address– List of acceptable pieces of ID– www.elections.ca for detailed information
Advertising Strategy
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Target groups
• General public (all citizens who are at least 18 years old on election day)
• Youth • Ethnocultural communities• Aboriginal communities
Advertising Strategy
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Television
Radio
Internet
Cinema
An integrated communication approach
Advertising Strategy
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Media Placement Strategy
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Web Banners - MSN
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Web Banners - Google
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Web Banners - LouLou
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Web Banner (Canadians abroad)
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Web Banner Ad (Aboriginal)
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Print Campaign Mainstream, Aboriginal, Ethnocultural
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Reaching Out to Youth
• Registration initiatives and mailings to young Canadians
• “Leave Your Mark” reminder card sent during an election to those not registered
• Targeted revision in student areas
• Polling sites in residences on campus
• Service Standards for Student Electors
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Reaching Out toYouth
• Targeted communications (and student associations)
• Youth Web site• Community Relations
Officer Program• Youth election officers• Partnerships: Student Vote
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Reaching Out to Aboriginal Electors• Poll initiatives in Aboriginal
communities• Aboriginal Elder and Youth
Program• Community Relations Officer
Program• Web page for Aboriginal
voters• Material available in
8 Aboriginal languages• Targeted communication• Partnerships: Assembly of
First Nations (AFN)
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Reaching Out to Ethnocultural Communities
• Voter information in 27 heritage languages
• Targeted communication• Community Relations
Officer Program• Language interpretation
service
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Reaching Out to Electors with Special Needs
• Seniors: Web banner and e-mail
• Targeted revision for seniors• Level access• Mobile polls• Alternative methods of voting• Special needs Web page• Services and information in
multiple formats• Targeted communication• Community Relations Officer
Program (homeless electors)
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Electors with Special Needs
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4) Moving Forward
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What Have We Learned?
Challenges:
• Capacity – managing external expectations
• Internal coordination• Measuring impact
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Moving Forward
• More research, and stronger linkages between research and activities
• More strategic• Better coordination (internal and external)• Increase/improve evaluation
– Evaluation framework – 40th general election
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Thank you!