The Election Commission of India (ECI) convened a ‘Conference on Low Voter Turnout,’ a pioneering initiative, engaging Municipal Commissioners and District Education Officers from selected districts to bolster voter participation in the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections. This move forms part of the ECI’s concerted efforts to amplify turnout in parliamentary constituencies (PCs) historically marked by low voter engagement.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, spearheaded the discussions during the conference, held in New Delhi. They deliberated on strategies to ramp up voter engagement and participation, underscoring the significance of targeted outreach and the active involvement of stakeholders such as Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and local influencers.
An official release from the ECI highlighted that several states and union territories fell below the national average voter turnout in the 2019 general elections. It specifically pointed out rural parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar that recorded subpar turnout rates.
CEC Rajiv Kumar stressed the necessity for customized strategies tailored to urban and rural contexts, urging Municipal Commissioners and DEOs to craft meticulous booth-wise action plans. He emphasized the pivotal role of instilling a sense of pride among voters to partake in the democratic process.
The conference also addressed logistical intricacies and brainstormed innovative voter awareness campaigns, including novel approaches like leveraging public transport vehicles to disseminate election messages. Municipal Commissioners and DEOs were encouraged to devise location-specific outreach initiatives.
The ECI’s initiatives encompass a Turnout Implementation Plan (TIP) aimed at targeted interventions at polling stations and collaborative endeavors with key stakeholders to expand voter outreach and awareness. These endeavors seek to reinvigorate voter engagement and participation in the upcoming elections.