QeC-ERAN Conference

Lionel Zetter

Trainer – Professional QualificationsLionel Zetter’s professional qualifications include:

• Former Chairman of Government Affairs Group• Former President Chartered Institute of Public

Relations• Director Enterprise Forum• Director ComRes• Vice President Public Affairs Asia

Trainer – Political QualificationsLionel Zetter’s political qualifications include:

• Former researcher, House of Commons• Former staffer, Conservative War Room• Former Conservative Association Chairman• Former General Election Agent• Parliamentary Candidate 2005• Author – Lobbying, the Art of

Political Persuasion• Author – The Political Campaigning

Handbook

European Parliament ElectionsA tale of relentlessly declining turnout:

• 1979 (first direct elections) 63%• 1984 61%• 1989 59%• 1994 57%• 1999 49%• 2004 (last elections) 46%

Respondents expressing a certainty to vote in the 2009 European elections

...and turnout at the last general election

United Kingdom

Netherlands

A protest vote?Performance of minor parties in European elections

as compared to national electionsBritish Independence Party

French National Front

Polish League of Families

Swedish June List

Challenges we face in halting declineThere are a number of reasons why turnout has been

declining in EP elections: • Lack of empathy between voters and European Parliament

(EP)• Lack of understanding of the importance of the EU and of

the role of the EP• Lack of senior figures in EP, and absence of name

recognition• Complex and impersonal electoral procedure• Treatment of EP elections as ‘secondary

elections’ by the electorate• General decline in turnout in all elections

in European nations

Particular challenges amongst young people and migrants

There are particular problems associated with ensuring electoral participation by young people and migrants:

• Young people are generally more apathetic, and less likely to engage in the electoral and democratic processes

• More academic career and family pressures on young people than ever before

• Candidates are generally white middle aged men who younger voters, female voters and ethnic minority voters find it hard to relate to

• Many migrants are still unaware that they are allowed to vote in EP elections in their country of residence

• Many party workers are also unaware that migrants are allowed to vote in EP elections, and they do not bother to urge them to vote

Official bodies involved in boosting turnout

Whilst official bodies obviously cannot take a party political stance in any elections, they can be involved in increasing awareness. Official bodies with a role to play include:

• National governments of member states• Regional, local and city governments• Local forums for developing

democracy• Embassies and Consulates• EP and EC offices in the members states

The role of official bodies in boosting turnout

There are a number of measures which EU, national, regional and local bodies and can take in order to try and ensure greater participation in EP elections:

• Education: If the general public had a better idea about the vital role which the EU plays, and the key role which the EP plays within it, they would be more likely to vote.

• Publicity: There should be much greater publicity about the elections – when they are happening, who is entitled to vote, and how they can go about voting.

The role of official bodies in boosting turnout (ctd.)

• Reform: The reforms to the way in which the EP operates and the way in which MEPs are remunerated should be publicised more widely.

• Alternatives: It should be pointed out to the electorate at large that a low turnout helps fringe parties of far right or even neo-nazi candidates.

• Voting methods: People should be offered a range of methods with which to cast their votes.

• Timing: The timing of elections should be uniformacross the EU, and maximum time should be made available for them to vote in.

The role of Non-Official Bodies (NGOs) in boosting turnout

Apart from political parties there are a wide range of organisations who can be joined forces with in order to maximise turnout – especially amongst young people and migrant groups:

• Further and higher education establishments• Youth clubs and youth groups• Local trade and regeneration groups• Faith groups and their associated

networks• Expatriate groups• Cultural groups

The role of literature in boosting turnout

During the course of a campaign literature plays an important role in raising awareness about the elections. The types of literature may be:

• Leaflets from EU, national, regional, local and city authorities telling

the electorate when an election is taking place, and how they can register their vote

• Party political literature going to all electors introducing a party’s candidates, and highlighting their policies

• Targeted literature going to particular demographics of potential likely supporters

• Targeted literature going to known supporters of political parties, urging them to vote

• Leaflets, letters and other literature can either be posted, or hand delivered

The role of the traditional media in boosting turnout

Traditional media has always been used in election campaigns – newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Traditional media can be used by:

• Placing advertisements, where the law allows, and where resources

permit• Getting activists to write in to national and local newspapers and

magazines• Getting activists to phone in to radio and

TV programmes, or apply to be in the audience for political programmes

• Issuing press releases which might be picked up by national or local newspapers, magazines, radio or TV broadcasters

The role of new media in boosting turnout

Increasingly new media is being used in election campaigns – as exemplified by Barack Obama’s US Presidential campaign. New media tools include:

• Websites and microsites• RSS feeds off of websites• Social networks such as Facebook• YouTube for posting clips• Blogs by candidates and commentators• Twitter for immediacy

The role of events and stunts in boosting turnout

In order to add a bit of interest and excitement to campaigns a number of events and stunts should be considered:

• Traditional ‘hustings’ meetings featuring a range of candidates from

different parties• ‘Circussing’ events in areas of high density – shopping streets and

malls, outside of colleges and universities• Street stalls, booths and stalls at cultural, arts

and sporting events• Music concerts along the lines of ‘rock the

vote’• Handouts – including hats, T shirts, and balloons• The appointments of ‘champions’ representing

young people and ethnic and national groups

The role of political parties in boosting turnout

Whilst national, local, city and regional authorities can boost awareness about elections, the political parties play a vital role in boosting turnout because:

• They have the experience of running campaigns and getting their vote out

• They have identified their supporters from previous campaigns, and by canvassing during current campaign

• They have the professional and voluntary workers to deploy on election campaigns

• They have developed techniques for identifying their supporters, and for getting them out to vote on polling day(s)

• They have sophisticated software to identify supporters, send them election literature, and knock them up on polling day(s)

The core of techniques of political parties

The core techniques of political parties include: • Leafleting – hand delivering political leaflets• Mailshots – targeted letters delivered by post• Circussing – parading through areas with high densities of

people• Loudspeaker vans – driving around broadcasting

pleas to vote• Canvassing – knocking on doors and asking

people which way they are going to vote• Knocking up – knocking on doors of known

supporters and urging them to get out and vote

ConclusionTo re-iterate, we have discussed: • Declining turnout, and reasons for it• What can be done to reverse that declining turnout• The role of official and non-official bodies in boosting

turnout• The use of traditional media and new

media• The use of events and stunts• The role and techniques of political

parties

Thank you

Any Questions?