Media Release 1998: Stand By for Voting Messages

1 September 1998

We have braced ourselves for the barrage of advertising from the political parties during the coming election campaign, when each of the parties will be out to convince us that they deserve our vote.

But there will be another voice of a different nature heard very clearly during the campaign: the Australian Electoral Commission will be making sure that Australia's almost 12 million electors know just what they have to do to be correctly enrolled and to cast a valid vote.

Melbourne agency Box Emery and Partners is about to go into its second federal election (and its third major event, when you count last year's Constitutional Convention Election) with a eight million dollar national campaign for the Electoral Commission.

Director of Information with the Electoral Commission, Brien Hallett, said that Australia's compulsory voting system meant the Commission needed to do all it could to ensure all electors were fully informed about voting procedures.

"With a couple of years between elections – and for most people a state election with different rules in the intervening period – it is necessary for the Commission to remind people of the key facts," Mr Hallett said. "Things like how to enrol or to change their address on the roll, how to vote formally, and about the range of services we provide to make it easier for people to vote."

"It is important information, but at times pretty technical. Box Emery have the challenging task of helping us to get these messages noticed at a time when there is strong focus on the political side of the election."

Account Director at Box Emery, David Clements, said that the agency would be ready to roll with the first enrolment ads within hours of the announcement being made.

"A campaign of this type presents a number of challenges," Mr Clements said. "With only seven days from the announcement to the close of the electoral rolls we have to go out very quickly and very heavily with our messages. And, while the material has been prepared in advance as much as is possible, clearly we can't strip in the key dates until the starter's gun is fired."

Mr Clements said that a major creative focus in the enrolment phase of the campaign would be towards young people. "They are first-time voters for whom the whole business is new, and statistics show that they are slow to get on the roll once they become eligible after turning 18," Mr Clements said.

Further information:
Brien Hallett
Director Information
Phone: 02 6271 4415