Divisions in the electoral process.

Designing a campaign that addresses divisions that rise from the electoral process.

There is much more to the electoral process than simply voting. Are non-voters engaged in the process? Are we supporting different groups to get to the poles, and is the process accessible to the public? These divisions were explored during the Communication Module this month. In this condensed 3-week course the students god their hands dirty in graphic design and branding; research. development, critical evaluation workflow, and of course presentations. In three different teams, the students identified divisions that exist in the electoral process and selected a specific issues to address. They designed multi-level awareness campaigns that were connected to a community group or NGO that is working around the issues they have identified and integrated them into the campaign.The outcomes were stunning, keep in mind that for many of the students this is their first taste of  this field. The students introduced us to three campaigns;

1- Chicago Know Campaign
The Know Campaign looked to address the issue of individual voter empowerment by providing access to information about the electoral process in Chicago. The campaign focused on engaging registered voters who might not otherwise make it to the polls by informing them of their options to vote at early polling stations.

2- Detroit DAWN Campaign
The creation of Detroit Active Women’s Network (DAWN) addresses the issue of a growing number of single mothers, and the consistently dismal voting rates in Detroit. DAWN is an organization with the mission of providing a community-based network for childcare, and giving single mothers time to participate in elections, the freedom to engage meaningfully with their community, and the freedom to vote for changes they want to see in Detroit.

3- Toronto IM Campaign
There are nearly 375,000 Permanent Residents who call Toronto their home, however they do not have a political voice in this city. Through our campaign, IM, we aim to build a community of new immigrants, promote their presence, and connect them to political engagement opportunities.