Professor recommends debates, social media to increase voter interest

While the Battlefords-Lloydminster by-election enticed only 27 per cent of eligible voters to get out and vote Monday, an educator says there are a few strategies to help increase voter turnout for any election.

Joe Garcea, a University of Saskatchewan political studies professor, said having more public and polictical events and a better use of social media could increase voter engagement.

“Generally, voter turnout in by-elections is quite low,” said. “In general elections, it tends to be definitely above 50, but is generally 60 or 70 per cent in some cases. It’s never a surprise to find the voter turnout in by-elections tends to be a quarter or one-third at the most.”  

“I think generally there isn’t that much attention devoted to them, unlike a general election where people feel that perhaps their vote in their constituency might make a significant difference in the standings,” he added.

When looking at some ways to encourage more voter turnout for elections in general, Garcea said having debates is one way to engage the public more. Planning events is another strategy.

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However, Garcea said unfortunately political parties will plan events for people who already support their political party, not for the general public.  

“The party becomes so good at targeting their supporters that they are focused on just targeting those [people], rather than animating the general public to turn out and vote,” he said.

To make a greater impact to encourage people to vote, he said political parties would do better to get out and speak to the general public to reach a wider audience. Although they could also end up influencing people to support competing parties instead.

Garcea said all parties tend to say they want to increase voter turnout, but essentially they really aim to increase voters to turn out to support their own party, and their own candidate seeking election.

He said if people think the election outcome could be close, they are more likely to vote.

“For North Battleford, I think there was a strong sense before the election was ever called that the outcome was never in doubt,” he said of Monday’s vote. “The Conservatives have a strong base. Not only were they able to maintain that base in percentage terms, but they were actually able to increase the percentage of voter turnout [supporting] their candidate, in percentage terms.”

The professor said as far as voting online goes, while the method has the potential to attract more voters, if people aren’t interested in the election they won’t bother to vote online either.

“It’s not the panacea that some people think it will be,” Garcea said.

He said more young adults would be more likely to vote online however if they have an interest.

Garcea added young people are more interested in social events than in political parties.

People need to reach them through the social media, and plan political events that are social events and celebratory, not dull and boring.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW