From online influencers to jingles on waste collection vehicles, Gzb finds new ways to target voters

Considering that in the last two general elections ( 2019 and 2014), only about half of Ghaziabad’s registered voters turned up to vote (55.78% in 2019 and 56.92% in 2014), the district administration feels that routine voter awareness rallies and loudspeaker announcements ahead of elections have not had much effect on voters

The Ghaziabad district administration is on a focused mission these days -- increase voter turnout by at least 10-20% in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. To that end, officials are busy roping in social media influencers, getting door-to-door waste collection vehicles to play jingles exhorting residents to vote and even awarding students additional marks in internal assessment if they can persuade their family members to vote.

The Ghaziabad district administration on Tuesday unveiled their mascots that will help in creating voter awareness among the public and also boosting voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

This “targeted approach”, officials say, will definitely increase the footfall in polling booths on April 26, when the district will vote in the parliamentary elections.

Considering that in the last two general elections ( 2019 and 2014), only about half of Ghaziabad’s registered voters turned up to vote (55.78% in 2019 and 56.92% in 2014), the district administration feels that routine voter awareness rallies and loudspeaker announcements ahead of elections have not had much effect on voters.

So this time, they decided to think different and rope in social media influencers to create awareness among voters.

“There are many people who have a huge following on social media. We are in touch with them and will also provide them all possible help to motivate people to vote. Likewise, as part of the targeted approach, we are getting in touch with schools to provide additional marks to students in internal assessment if they upload selfies with their parents holding up the ‘inked’ finger,” said Abhinav Gopal, Ghaziabad’s chief development officer (CDO).

Gopal said for this, they will hold pre-poll and post-poll meetings with students in schools and urge them to persuade their parents to vote.

Officials said they are also extensively engaging with residents’ welfare associations for voter awareness in their respective high-rises. Also posters will be put up in common areas, urging residents to vote.

On January 23, the Ghaziabad district administration finalised the electoral rolls, with the district logging 2,938,834 voters. According to district records, there are 841 polling centres with 3,197 polling booths in Ghaziabad Lok Sabha constituency.

Of these, 52 polling booths will also come up in high-rises so that senior citizens, women etc, find it convenient to vote on April 26.

“We have also identified 24 major colleges where we will hold interactions with students who are first time voters. More measures are being considered and if we are able to increase the turnout by 10-20%, we will consider our efforts a success,” Gopal said.

The Ghaziabad municipal corporation has also been working on creating voter awareness. Officials said their 415 door-to-door solid waste collection vehicles are being readied to play jingles on vehicle-mounted speakers, urging residents to vote.

“About 415 vehicles in five corporation zones will play the jingles when they make the rounds of neighbourhoods to pick up waste. About 315 have been readied and the rest will be readied in next two days,” said Vikramaditya Malik, municipal commissioner.

According to the schedule release by the Election Commission of India on March 16, the notification of the election for Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar — along with the western UP districts of Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura — will be issued on March 28.

The last date for the filing of nominations will be April 4, with the scrutiny of nominations to be held a day later. April 8 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations.