Today, the 12th of August, is “International Youth Day”. This growing generation has been given many names – from “Generation Y” and “Digital Natives” to “Generation Maybe”. Naturally all of these labels are mere approximations in the attempt to figure out a generation raised under entirely different political and media environments than those generations before it. Youth participation in elections throughout Europe has reached a historic low – a disconcerting trend. On this occasion we are shedding some more light on the youth’s relationship to democracy and elections.
Everything you do to motivate voters to cast their ballots is part of that big arena known as “advertising”. To be precise, you, as the organiser of an election, are also an advertiser during this time.
Advertising is an immensely diverse and heavily researched discipline. Through massive studies are conducted to work out which advertisement works best when, and why. Coupled with this is another major field of research: psychology.
If you are already an advertiser, you can use knowledge from the study of the effectiveness of advertising for your election – e.g. that memories or repetitions can contribute to motivation.
In America, being invited to vote by celebrities is already a common practice. Stars from the music and film industries like Pharrell Williams, Clint Eastwood, Madonna or George Clooney ask fellow citizens – often through the internet and social networks – to participate in elections. Celebrities from Hollywood enjoy great admiration, and idols are emulated. […]
The voting period has already started and you want to get voters on board who haven’t yet cast their ballots? But circular emails and letters too often end up in the (digital) wastebasket. One reason for this is that everything you are writing is mostly repetitive. The voters already know that the election is going […]
The origins of the idea of the cooperative date as far back as the 19th century. The cooperative principle, however, is just as current as ever. Democratic processes have been closely tied to cooperative participation since day one. Online elections can thus carry cooperative democracy into the 21st century. Continue reading
22 April is Earth Day, a time to think about protecting the environment. However, environmental protection measures need not always require cutting back. It is worth questioning common daily routines and using modern technology. Take voting and ballots for instance: Online elections cause a significantly lower level of emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 than […]
The trip to the polling place can become a great challenge for people with physical disabilities. Voting online, however, makes it easier for disabled, sick or elderly individuals to partake in elections. In some cases voting online is the only way these people can exercise their right to vote. Only very recently was the Federal Republic of Germany rebuked for showing far too little progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – and that is at all levels, in nearly all areas.
The Berlin headquarters of POLYAS GmbH moved into their new office spaces in the centre of Berlin today. POLYAS’ offices are now located at Alte Jakobstraße 88 in 10179 Berlin-Mitte . Thanks to this central location, POLYAS is now more accessible to visitors. These new spaces are also in the direct vicinity of the Bundesdruckerei, […]
POLYAS supports Master student Karola Marky’s research work in the field of liquid democracy with Dr. Melania Volkamer at the Technische Universität Darmstadt. The joint project VALID (Verifiable Liquid Democracy) was covered.
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This past Sunday, a new parliament was elected in Estonia. Just like in Germany the voters were able to cast their ballots before the actual election date. Yet while the only option here is the postal vote, in Estonia the voters are able to cast their ballots online as well. This year’s election saw nearly every fifth Estonian voter taking the opportunity to vote online – a new record.
While online media simplify people’s lives in almost all aspects in the digital society of the 21st century, one of humanity’s greatest achievements continues to be conducted manually. Yet customary ballot and postal votes are costly, complicated and effortful. Thankfully there are already alternatives with which the benefits of the digital world can also be […]
For ten years now, international experts on electronic voting have been holding an annual meeting in Bregenz on Lake Constance. Their conference, the EVOTE, now numbers among the most renowned congresses on the subject and contains a multitude of scientific presentations and exciting practical reports from the field of digital election procedures.