General Organisation: Other Aspects On Hand

Electoral operations warrant in-depth pre­ parations for enjoyable outcomes. This ex­ plains why political parties, besides des­ ignating candidatures for the elections, they embark on other activities, notably the holding of strategic meetings to out­ line operational mechanisms, plan commu­ nication strategies and building various teams, be it at the central or campaign le­ vels. While waiting for the convening of the electoral college for the legislative and mu­ nicipal elections, political parties are al­ ready working in order not be taken off guard. Active mobilisation and political campaigning is ongoing with party officials (both those represented in Parliament and not) organising public rallies, town hall meetings, seminars and other communal events to connect directly with potential voters and build enthusiasm. Officials of the party are also holding mee­ tings on the communication strategies to be embraced before and during the official campaign period. This consists in elaborating extensive marketing campaigns across tele­ vision, radio, print, billboards, and social media platforms to pass across their message. Usually, a team is put in place whose main res­ ponsibility is to craft a core message or slogan for the political party or candidature (that is a manifesto) and talking points which they deem can be appealing to voters. It also in­ cludes press releases, public statements, in­ terviews, online presence, digital advertise­ ments and public opinion tracking for improvement. The campaign timeline, budget, geographic target and expected outcomes are all well outlined. Other campaign gadgets such as flyers, accessories and t-shirts or fa­ brics are crafted by the communication team. These are more are th...