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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

Print

Radio

Internet

Cinema

An integrated communication approach

Mail

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!