Time for a change : US Election, unprecedented turnouts

The US Presidential race is making history – and its not just about Obama believe it or not! Across the US we’re seeing unprecedented turnouts at the polling stations, which buck the historic trends across Western democracy of declining turnout at the ballot box.

CNN have reported  that the early voting figures suggest overall turnout across the US could surpass 64 percent attained in 1960’s Kennedy vs. Nixon election. In fact, experts estimate that a record 213 million voters are eligible to vote this year- voter registration drives by both parties, particularly the democrats, have played a significant role in boosting this figure. No matter which candidate they’re all voting for [though the Obama effect does seem to be boosting the turnout ;) ] this has to be good for reviving democracy.

Gallup estimates a 60% turnout – check out the graph below from OpenLeft to see what a strong trend that would actually be. (I’m hoping for something higher than this!):

But of course, unprecedented turnout equals unprecedented queues. Interesting to see how the system copes (or doesn’t) with significant numbers of people actually showing up to exercise their democratic right to vote… and that’s happening on an astonishing scale right now.

Whether in Long Island, Missouri, or Washington DC. people are turning up to be part of history – to play their own role in this grand occasion. They are standing in the winding queues, waiting there in good faith that their personal participation will count for something far bigger and more significant than any one individual’s action. That very fact is in itself a real change already being delivered by the candidates’ campaigns. Somehow, this contest has made voting suddenly seem attractive again.

Let’s see if Cameron or Brown can make me want to queue in the rain for six hours or so … hm, or maybe I’ll just do postal next year.

Obama McCain : The world is watching… and participating!

Ahmad Foroughi : Iranian Obama Campaigner

 

I love this picture of Ahmad Foroughi standing on Waterloo bridge. I met him a few weeks ago when I stopped to talk as I was curious to know what was motivating him to stand there, giving up his time on a windy Saturday afternoon.  He was wearing a cool T-shirt and carrying a sign that said ”We’re searching for Americans! Can you help? Are YOU American?”

I assumed that he himself was a US citizen – enthused by Obama’s message of change – trying to spread the zeal and get others to vote Democrat too on November 4th. I was off the mark – he is in fact Iranian by birth- and unhappy with the US’s current foreign policy around terrorism and extremism. He himself is unable to cast a vote in the US election, so gave up his Saturday afternoon to stand on Waterloo bridge trying to find any American who hadn’t registered in the hope that it’ll help Obama win tomorrow.

I asked him why he was so passionate in wanting Obama to win – he went on to discuss his family and roots in Iran and the impact of US foreign policy in previous years and what it might be the future. He then went on to tell me in a matter of fact way: ”Its time for a real change and I believe Obama can do this.”

The world is not only watching this election – they want to be part of it in whatever way they are able to, and its not just happening online, there are people like Ahmad willing to give up more than a mouseclick moment to the campaign. Inspired by politics, inspired by a politician, belief in the possibility of real change… write it off as  Obamamania if you like – but the passion and interest in participating has to be good for people’s rights and for generating the demand for real democratic process and real opportunities for people to influence power across the world.

I’d like to see this level of enthusiasm in the UK election next time around…

Getting Candid Answers on the Environment

I just got back from an intense week of work in Edmonton, Alberta, assisting the design and faciliation of a deliberative process on the environment. I’ll be writing in more detail on here next week about this unique experience which included a diverse range of people interested in using deliberative methods as a way of addressing future issues on climate change in Alberta.

For now – I don’t want you all to feel like you’ve been forgotten about… (I wouldn’t forget you!) so here’s something related for your browsing pleasure: Candid Answers 2008.

Candid Answers is a US- based ‘voter guide for the environment’ which aims to showcase candidates’ answers to five key environmental questions side by side in a clear format. I think the concept is great but for two things:

1) It is not run by a neutral body – but by the NRDC - an environmental campaigning organisation

2) There is nowhere near enough impartial information available through the site to help people understand the issues more deeply.

Other than that I love the concept and the simplicity… it would be greatly strengthened by addressing the two issues above.

Check it out for yourself!

SNP beat Labour in Glasgow East – so what?

Well, the implications for the SNP and for the Labour party are obviously quite  important, but for the general public – so what?

With voter turnout being just 42.25%, down on the 48% figure at the last election, with 26,219 votes cast in total, it seems like the winner is once again the couch/tv/gardening/kids….

So I ask for the nth time, just how do we get people to vote? Is it about having time and energy as we see in some of the interesting motivations to participate work done by Michelle Harrisson of IIPS/Henley centre. See ParticipationNation article.

I think there’s something to be said about changing the framing of the task – it shouldn’t be about ‘getting’ people to vote, ie. badgering, cajoling, appealing to guilt, but rather taking a lesson from the charitable sector – should be about inspiring and moving people to make their vote count – to feel part of something bigger than ourselves.

We need some inspiration in British politics, cause at the moment I’m not alone in being far more interested in voting Obama at the next election…

When I worked in the now largely defunct  Youth Outreach division of the Electoral commission we tried to stimulate interest directly with good initiatives such as the Democracy Cookbook – alongside targeted campaigns. It seems clear to me that this democratic advertising simply isn’t enough – and here’s yet more evidence to back that up.

It might be a bad day for Labour, but its a worse day for democracy.

Power of Social Media : Zimbabwe

This site (Sokwanele) is one of the most powerful campaign sites I’ve come across.

Superb use of flickr, twitter, mapping, e-cards and blog to get the Zimbabwe pro democracy message out.

Zimbabwe 2008

 

“Sokwanele – Zvakwana is a peoples’ movement, embracing supporters of all pro-democratic political parties, civic organizations and institutions in Zimbabwe. Sokwanele and Zvakwana both mean ‘enough is enough’ in the vernacular.”

Thanks to GalloManor for original heads up.

Best of a bad bunch ;)

Unsure which London Mayoral genius to vote for?

Check out what the folks over at Unlock Democracy have come up with… a rather nifty interactive tool to help you uncover which mayoral candidate’s policies best match your own priorities. Excellent stuff….clear interface and tangible, useful outputs. Just how I like my eDemocracy in the mornings… mmmmhm.

PS. This is what they have to say about it:

What is Vote Match?

Unlock Democracy has teamed up with the Netherlands-based Instituut voor Publiek en Politiek (IPP) to launch Vote Match UK (http://www.votematch.co.uk/). Our first project will be based around the 2008 London Mayoral and Assembly election

Vote Match is a short quiz that voters can fill in to match their views with the views of the election candidates. In the interests of minimising any unintended biases, the tool is intended to be as transparent as possible:

• Candidates and parties will be asked to provide their own answers based on their own published policy.
• Users can include and/or exclude parties and candidates from the survey as they see fit and add extra weight to those issues which they consider to be important.
• The website does not simply give you an answer – it shows you how the results are calculated.

Vote Match is not about telling people how to vote and we do not support any political party. Rather, it is about encouraging voters to consider which issues are important and informing them about where the parties and candidates stand.It ha sbeen shown that in every country Vote Match has become an important part of the political landscape (Such as the Netherlandsand Germany) turn out has increased after people used Vote Match. In fact in the Netherlands over 35% of the Electorate use the tool during general elections witha 15% higher turnout amongst those who used the tool then those who didnt.  

Vote Match 08 website: http://www.votematch.co.uk/about/.