Whether campaigning for government, a local chapter or for election to
school council online surveys are easy and effective election tool that will benefit any campaign. Use surveys to discover more about electorate, to identifying issues that really concern them so that each campaign can be tailored to reach hearts and minds of voters. Objective
For any survey it is important to decide from beginning what objective of survey is and when considering conducting a survey in support of a particular candidate consider if purpose of survey is to discover what ‘issues’ are; or is survey to be used to promote candidates image and policies?
In many cases objectives will be in line with different phases of an election process.
Pre-Campaign
Before campaigning begins a survey is an ideal method to canvass voters and to determine what important issues are likely to be. To gain a wider response across whole political spectrum survey will preferably be conducted through an independent channel so that people’s opinion of a particular candidate does not influence research.
For a political survey it is essential that demographics of those surveyed are established as different groups are likely to have both common and varied views. With demographic information there is an opportunity to establish what main issues are by age group, by income and by gender; do people who rent have same concerns as those that own their own homes?
A pre-campaign survey will be able to monitor mood of voters. Some may, if asked, even indicate who they are likely to vote for in a future election. By listening to electorate a campaign can be planned better and will allow printed and oral marketing to be properly targeted at issues that people want addressed.
For candidates that appear out of step with electorate surveys can provide a measure of how much effort will be required, and in what areas, so that people are convinced and change their views.
Campaign survey
During a campaign an online survey is an effective way to market a candidate’s position. Tradition methods of leafleting rely on recipient reading and taking onboard message. Leaflets are a one way marketing effort and more often than not dismissed and discarded along with other ‘junk mail’.
Consider on other hand an online survey that can phrase questions such as:-
Do you support candidate Jones’s pledge to cut budget deficit in half to $250 billion over four years; and to reintroduce budget rules capping spending?
To answer this question respondent has to engage mentally with survey by reading and then considering statement before forming an opinion. Because respondent is able to express their view they are also more likely going to consider argument. An online survey is not only able to deliver an important policy statement but will also allow campaign team to monitor level of support that candidate has on specific issues.
