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Voter Outreach

Voter outreach must be a focal point of any campaign, as ensuring voter turnout requires persuasion. Important components of voter outreach include: Raising issues of concern; educating voters on such issues and a candidate’s overall platform; registering voters and mobilizing them to vote for a candidate or an issue. Some commonly used voter outreach techniques are brochures, direct mail, phone calls, door-to-door visits and public events.

From the Library

Political Campaign Planning Manual (Malaysia)

Originally developed a decade ago by NDI's staff team in Russia, this manual traveled the globe numerous times with localized updates. NDI's team of political party experts in Malaysia edited the version you hold for that specific context. In 2004, Indonesia's candidates ran campaigns using this manual and, later, candidates and their teams similarly followed the formula in that country's first directr elections for governors and mayors. In 2007, in the landmark elections required by the peace agreement in Aceh after a forty-year, conflict, a more substantial update to the manual gave candidates greater confidence to compete in the ever-changing world of campaign politics. The updates made to the manual reflect advances in targetting, message development and the use of technology in campaigns in every country; the lesson for all of us is that political campaigning is, quite simply, about effective planning. Campaigning techniques are refined over time. The lesson of political practitioners everywhere is to learn from each others' victories and mistakes. And, to make sure the campaign we run is appropriate to the context in which we are competing.

Advocacy and Running for Office: A Training Manual for Women

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This manual brings together training material used in Vital Voices advocacy and campaign skills trainings across the globe.  You can contact the editor at sfoster[at]stepheniefoster.com.

Consolidated Response on the Impact of Illiteracy on Young Women's Political Participation

In electoral and decision-making processes, women - and especially young women - often find themselves spectators rather than active participants. While there are many factors at play, non-education stands out as one of the key reasons for the lack of young women’s political participation. Women remain disproportionally affected by illiteracy in all parts of the world, but in Africa and Asia in particular girls face considerable difficulties acquiring basic reading and writing skills.

This consolidated response will first discuss how illiteracy and non-education affect political participation for young women. It will then examine how these issues can best be tackled by reviewing a number of strategies, policies and special programmes that have been used around the world to tackle illiteracy and help girls and young women engage in politics.

Consolidated Response on Polling Station Management

In most countries a woman’s right to vote is enshrined in law, leaving no formal legal barriers to the electoral participation of women. In practice, however, many obstacles still keep women from casting their vote. The hurdles can be daunting, especially for women looking to run for office and for women in post-conflict situations, and are often difficult to overcome.

This consolidated response considers how polling station management can increase women’s electoral participation. While polling station management offers no quick fix for the low level of women’s electoral participation in some parts of the world, it can make a substantial difference on voting day.

Handbook for Women Candidates

This Handbook for Women Candidates is the result of a series of workshops and meetings with women candidates and women active in political parties in Khartoum. It contains a toolkit on election campaigning and public speaking and is drafted specifically to meet the needs of candidates in emerging democracies.

Consolidated Response on the Prevention of Family Voting

This consolidated response includes descriptions of family and proxy voting and provides recommendations on how to eliminate family voting through holding trainings and public awareness campaigns, strengthening legislative frameworks, and sensitizing election commissioners and observers on issues faced by women.

Report of Parallel NGO Electoral Campaign for Women Candidates in Slovenia

Women’s Lobby in Slovenia took active part in the EWL 50-50 Campaign for the election of the European parliament in 2009. The Women’s Lobby of Slovenia decided to organize and lead so called parallel electoral campaign. This report captures the outcomes of the EWL and Women's Lobby of Slovenia 50-50 Campaign.

Consolidated Response on Working with Women Candidates and Women Voters During Elections

This consolidated response highlights tools used to empower women candidates, such as providing training, working with political parties, using affirmative action measures,and holding outreach campaigns. The consolidate response also provides several recommendations on how to reach out to women voters before and during elections, proactively engage women in voter registration, and hold voter education campaigns targeting both women and men.

Poster from the "Use Your Voice" Campaign

This poster was used in a national media campaign aimed at promoting women's participation in the electoral process in Lebanon.

Video: Women in Lebanese Elections in 2003 (Giselle Khoury)

This TV spot was used in a national campaign in legislative elections in Lebanon in 2003. In this video clip, a Lebanese Journalist, Giselle Khoury, calls on women to be active in political sphere. The video is in Arabic with the script translated into English. “It is illogical to think that only 1.5% of the Lebanese Parliament is represented by women while almost 54% of the Lebanese population is women. They should never forget that democracy does not exist without women’s rights.”