Election Calendar: Order over Chaos
With an Election calendar, simplify the management of your vote and avoid sinking into the quicksand that is organizational chaos! With our tips, you can set up your voting calendar simply, quickly and effectively.
To-do lists and calendars have to be used methodically and thoroughly in order to utilize their maximum potential. They release us of unnecessary organizational stresses and help keep our heads free of worry. They do, however, come with a cost. You must invest time and effort to set them up and keep them updated but you will be rewarded with an overview of all your tasks and the state of your projects. Calendars are not just for everyday work, nor merely for your private life. They should be an integral part of election management.
Election Calendar Content
Your election calendar should contain an overview of all the relevant meetings, appointments and dates of your election. When creating your voting calendar you should begin with the date of the vote and work your way backwards including other important dates:
- Polling Day
The date of the vote with a fixed time or vote election period. - Vote Planning: Phases and Times
The vote planning can be divided into different phases. If the phases of the vote planning are defined, you should plot out the time that you wish to allocate to each section generously. - Editorial and Submission Deadlines for Print Products
Since marketing of your election is extremely important in order to increase turnout, you should be aware of all deadlines for printed products. In case something goes wrong like a printing failure or a misunderstanding, it is vital to incorporate a time buffer into your calendar for safety. - Deadlines for voting information e.g. ballot papers
Most election regulations give a set time when the voters are allowed to be informed about an upcoming vote. Just calculate back from the date of the election accordingly. You should decide which documents are needed for voters and plan in printing and/or publishing deadlines. - Plot Out Notifications for your Electorate
If you would like to send notifications to your voters, such as reminders to vote, crucial information about the vote, candidate information or other general information, you have to plan them into your election calendar. We recommend sending out notifications, including a reminder of the vote during the election period.
Vote reminders and voting information as marketing tools
The electorate often forgets elections. This is easy to rectify. You will have to make sure that you keep your voters informed and involved so that they are interested in the outcome of the vote. You also have to remind them about the election to make sure that they know when it is taking place and how easy it is to cast their ballot. The ways in which you can use this type of marketing are diverse. Here are a few suggestions:
- Candidate Information
Send an additional email containing the most important information about all running candidates. - Current Voting Information
Update your voters about the current stages of the vote, any news, and the latest voter turnout statistics. Sharing easy information like this helps to increase voter turnout as well as general voter engagement. - Questionnaires
Start with a questionnaire in order to gain a better understanding of the atmosphere around the vote. This will help you determine how to increase voter turnout and engagement. - Reminders
Let your voters know about the election at different points in the run-up and during the election period itself. Take these opportunities to remind your voters when the election and their ballots will no longer be valid.
Use these different channels for marketing your election. Send emails, create posts for your social media or leave flyers lying around your offices. Just make sure that they are scheduled in your election calendar so that they can all be achieved and released at the optimal time for your business. By keeping on top of your calendar you and your election committee will be able to see a good overview of all due dates, messages, email campaigns and tasks.