Yashvir SinghDirector, Election Commission of India

yashvir@eci.gov.in

Social Media and Electoral Processes

First Annual EMB DialogueStockholm

7th December, 2011

“Democracy, disciplined and enlightened, is the finest thing in the world”

- Mahatma Gandhi

Areas Covered

Impact of Social Media on Electoral Processes

How we are using the Social Media in India Reactions (so far) and the Future

Expectations

Factors affecting Voter Participation

Age Marital status Education Economic status Residential mobility Social connectedness Religious involvement Awareness

Case of the Disinterested Youth Global concern about their lower

participation Studies in UK, Canada, India suggest this In developing countries, youth represent

substantial population - a question mark on democratic legitimacy

If voting does not settle as early habit, potential for later date participation is more remote

Evidence that younger groups losing and even never gaining habit of voting – consequently carry lack of interest in to later life

Impact of Social Media • Acts as a bridge between the youth and the

EMB to fill up the void of information and knowledge.

• Real – time transmission of election details, registration status, candidate profiles and important dates.

• Information is presented in most presentable of forms. Youth gets what he wants. After all, there is a mammoth difference in likes and dislikes of a 18 year old and a 60 year old.

• Use by an EMB only adds to the trust and veracity of contents

Impact of Social Media – Examples

The revolutions in some of the non-democratic nations in the Arab region and the mass mobilizations against existing regimes were reported to be triggered by Social Media

The “Obama Campaign” had gathered followers through Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, E-mail and Mobile messaging

Why EMBs need Social Media?

General Decline in participation, more consistently in recent years

1945-1960 – average turnout 76.4% 1961-1975 – average turnout 77.1% 1976-1990 – 74.8% 1990-2006 – 69.7% Standard deviation down from 3% to 2.5% -

suggestive of not much variation among nations

Why EMBs need Social Media? – Viewpoints Conservative point: voters participation,

especially turn out at booths is a political agenda

EMBs are umpires, should not care if any one played or not, any one is in audience or not

Most EMBs have gone past this debate. If not, they need to do so soon

Voters participation initiatives cannot be half-hearted - should be the focus of EMBs

Social Media and Electoral Processes• Can play significant role in mobilizing youth, if

pursued with due seriousness and efforts.• Perfect blend of technology and social

interaction• Information on all these platforms is crisp,

precise and interesting. • Satisfies benchmark of expectations of youth,

so very popular.• Extensive participation leads to quick updation

with relevant details, answers and data.• Stocked with engaging content – opportunity

for EMBs to reach out to millions of followers, especially youth.

E-Media Text ads – Ads, Keywords, Relevancy Display ads – Rich media ads, Keywords,

Placements, Websites Mobile devices – Connect with customers on

the go. 26.3 million active Internet mobile users in India, as of March 2011

Social Networking Sites – Facebook (ECI is already active)

YouTube – 30.2 million users watch videos online

Blogs – Personal, non-commercial, updated often, text, image, links

Micro-blogs - Twitter Email – Direct and cost-effective

How Indians Engage with Social Media

Internet and Social Media112 Million Internet users in India80% of the Internet users are eligible to

vote

The break-up of these 80% users is as follows:

74% constitute youth26% are others (Women, Older people and

Men)

Indian Voter – Internet and Social Media48% of the Internet users are from less

than 1 million population towns56% spend more than 2 hours on Internet

as against 1 hour on TV, everyday.28 million Indians are on Social Media

platforms like Facebook, Orkut, Google+ and Twitter

They are the ones who have created tipping points for public interest campaigns like IAC

ECI InitiativesNVD, 2011 organised at all Polling Stations

across the country, empowering 5.2 million youth in the age-group 18-19 years

Facebook account of Commission openedComprehensive Systematic Voters Education

& Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Campaign for Summary revision launched nation-wide

New interactive website of Commission is ready for launch

Guidelines to CEOs for SVEEP Plan for NVD, 2012 issued

The Indian ExperienceFacebook Account exists, but is not very

active.Workshop on “Social Media for Voter

Participation” organized on 24th November, 2011.

Experts from the fields of Training, Advertising, Social Media, Academics, Youth Organizations, etc. deliberated.

Unanimity on the issue of engaging Social Media by ECI

Objectives of engagement spelt out

Objectives of Social Media Campaign

Ensuring ethical voting, free from

inducement

Ensuring 100% Registration

Maximizing Voter Participation

Outcome of Workshop A Core Team of experts constituted. The Team has recommended that the

following Social Media may be actively used: YouTube Facebook Twitter Google+

A formal launch of the Social Media Campaign on YouTube and Facebook shortly, in December, 2011

Expected Reactions

Greater engagement of electorate, specifically the youth, with EMB initiatives

Improved online registration of eligible youth Healthy interaction leading to effective and

more dissemination of information Exchange of ideas and experiences of

electorate to be used as inputs for further improvements in electoral processes

A huge platform for discussion on electoral reforms

Conclusion

Social Media emerging as a dynamic option to maximize the outreach of the efforts/ campaigns of EMBs and is an unexplored tool which can be harnessed to engage youth and motivate them to participate in democratic electoral processes

Points to Ponder………

How EMBs can turn the Social Media followers into real-world active voters, while engaging them by means of targeted campaigns (on Social Media)?

How to create a bond between the online followers of Social Media and the EMBs - that generates eagerness to meet in real life (to turn up at the Polling Booth and participate in electoral process)?

Greater Participation for a Stronger Democracy

THANKS