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Introduction
Communications from local governments play a pivotal role in providing accurate information to the public. By promoting timely and reliable details, cities and counties can potentially enhance public trust, encourage voter turnout, and foster community engagement. Consistent and transparent messaging may help dispel misinformation and boost confidence in the electoral process, contributing to a more informed and proactive community.
This report examines communication strategies for election discourse by analyzing social media engagement and online discussions over the past year, as well as insights from the period leading up to the November 2020 general election. Through this analysis, Zencity has identify current practices and emerging trends. Our objective is to equip local government agencies with actionable insights aimed at enhancing their messaging, fostering community engagement, and encouraging informed participation in the electoral process.
This report explores communication strategies in election discourse through an analysis of social media engagement and online discussions over the past year, with additional insights drawn from the lead-up to the November 2020 general election.
Download the full report →
Methodology
- The report offers an analysis of data collected from social media and local news outlets. As such, it reflects the interest and sentiment expressed by residents using these platforms.
- The analysis does not include sentiments and opinions expressed on private social media discussion boards and groups— only those expressed in fully public forums.
- The Zencity interaction count consists of all social media engagements (posts, tweets, likes, comments, shares, retweets, etc.). Therefore, the number of interactions reflects the volume of discourse and the level of interest among residents expressing their views online.
- Our machine-learning algorithm classifies large amounts of interactions according to topic and sentiment — positive, negative, or neutral — which indicate satisfaction or dissatisfaction levels about local issues, including those not initiated by the City. This model enables us to measure the interest that specific issues attract and understand how community members perceive these issues.
Executive Summary
1. Communicate election operation and information effectively:
Use Organic’s publishing tools to post eye-catching infographics, communicate reminders for various deadlines, highlight multiple voting options, and inform about available language assistance and accessibility services to ensure inclusivity.
2. Demonstrate election integrity to build trust:
Showcase transparent election processes and vote counting by sharing the steps taken and behind-the-scenes content to ensure fair elections. Provide regular updates and maintain open communication channels to address concerns and combat misinformation.
3. Monitor social-media elections discourse in one place:
Set up projects with Organic using predefined keywords to track relevant discourse and monitor sentiment. Utilize the Social Inbox feature to ensure a timely response to comments and mentions.
4.Use the Zencity AI Assistant to set up a knowledge resource hub and gather resident feedback to specific questions in Engage:
Run the automated setup to quickly create a comprehensive project with an information page, surveys, discussion boards, and Q&A boards to collect feedback from the community.
Election Conversation Overview
The recommendations in this report are based on the analysis of over discourse across 178 distinct municipalities since 2020. The local governments included in the analysis are diverse in population size, providing a comprehensive overview of election-related discourse across Zencity partners.
Online Mentions of Election Fraud
To better understand the discourse surrounding fraud and mistrust in the election process, we created a subset of data specifically focused on discussions from the 2020 elections. This subset isolated conversations related to election fraud and mistrust to provide a clearer picture of where these discussions originated and their main platforms.
On unofficial channels, X (FKA Twitter) was the primary source of conversation (79%). In contrast, on official channels, Facebook was the main platform, accounting for 80% of the discussions.
Understanding where the conversation is coming from is crucial for effectively addressing concerns and misinformation. By identifying the primary sources of discourse, local governments can tailor their communication strategies specifically for those platforms, ensuring accurate information reaches the community and trust is built in the electoral process.
1. Communicating Election Operations and Information
Showcasing Major Achievements and Demonstrating Community Impact:
Clear and effective communication about election operations is crucial for preparing voters and encouraging participation. Providing accessible information on ballot locations, registration processes, and the need for poll workers can significantly boost voter turnout and ensure smoother election day operations.
Use Infographics for Clarity and Engagement
Create visually appealing infographics highlighting key dates, registration deadlines, and voting instructions. Keep them simple, direct, and easily shareable to maximize reach on social media.
Regularly remind the community of important deadlines and steps to take for election preparedness.
Highlight Multiple Voting Options
Communicate all available voting methods clearly to accommodate diverse voter preferences. Use a consistent voice and reliable sources to maintain trust.
Provide detailed instructions and links to resources for each voting option to ensure voters understand their choices.
2. Promote Accessibility and Language Services
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Inform voters about available language assistance and accessibility services to ensure inclusivity.
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Use multiple languages in posts to effectively reach non-English speaking voters.
3. Build Trust by Demonstrating Election Integrity
Trust in the electoral process is paramount, especially in an age of widespread misinformation. Local governments can play a critical role in fostering transparency and confidence by openly sharing processes, engaging with the community, and addressing concerns head-on.
Showcase Transparent Election Processes and Vote Counting
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➔ Share specific details about the steps taken to ensure accurate and fair elections, including insights into vote counting and mail-in ballot processes.
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➔ Use behind-the-scenes content, such as pictures or videos of election officials at work, to demonstrate meticulous care and add credibility and transparency.
Provide routine updates on election preparations and progress while maintaining open channels for community inquiries through Q&A sessions and virtual town hall meetings. Offer prompt, factual responses to address concerns and combat misinformation.
4. Monitor Social-Media Elections Discourse In One Place
Set up a project to capture and analyze elections-related discourse using specific, predefined keywords. This allows local governments to effectively monitor and respond to community conversations and sentiments related to elections.
Monitor Negative Discourse
By creating a keyword-based project to track negative discourse on elections, local governments can identify the sources of misinformation and distrust, enabling targeted corrective actions.
Utilize Zencity’s Social Inbox for Timely Responses
Zencity’s Social Inbox centralizes all comments made on your Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, and Twitter posts, making it effortless to track, reply, and manage these interactions.
Additionally, the Inbox not only captures comments on your posts but also displays any mentions of your accounts across these platforms. This powerful feature ensures you can easily monitor and participate in conversations, even those happening outside of your official channels.
Use the Zencity AI Assistant for easy setup on Engage
Streamline your election engagement with the
Zencity AI-assistant. Easily create a comprehensive platform that includes a Q&A board and surveys with the Automated Setup feature. This tool allows you to gather valuable feedback, address residents' questions, and ensure a well-informed and confident voter base—all in one place.
Join hundreds of local government organizations already leveraging community feedback with Zencity.
