Steve Falla: Campaigning with a KISS

The 2020 election was a leap into the unknown both for candidates and voters.

In reviews and commentaries on how the island-wide election fared, much has been said about the challenges for voters and what candidates were faced with for the first time in Guernsey political history.

The election this June benefits from being the second island-wide vote, disregarding the election of conseillers in the 1990s. There is, therefore, a precedent, although it is still far from accepted as being better than the parish and district elections of the past where the rules of engagement between candidate and voter were more obvious and straightforward. Some argue that parish-based elections allowed for a greater sense of connection with the process.

Election campaigns have been described as ‘comms campaigns on steroids’ and Guernsey will be noisy as candidates battle for share of voice in the few weeks up to polling day.

This is not a ‘Guernsey Campaigning for Dummies’ guide; more some observations based on my campaigning experience in 2020 and my career in communications.

A political election campaign is not like marketing a product or service. It is deeply up close and personal, in as much as candidates are portraying themselves and emphasising the qualities, beliefs and values that they consider will make them worthy deputies.

In some ways, the size of the electorate is immaterial to the required modus operandi. However, even the most energetic candidate with time on their hands will be unable to appear on the doorstep of everyone on the electoral roll. Guernsey has a lot of front doors and, while face-to-face conversations are arguably the best way to engage with voters, this is simply not possible.

And effective engagement critically involves listening at least as much as you speak, which is difficult if you’re not standing in front of the voter.

However, there are still many ways in which a candidate can communicate and enter dialogue with voters, some of them free of charge and some which candidates may opt to pay for, within the £3,000 cap allowed under the amended rules. Anecdotally, some successful candidates in 2020 spent less than £500.

It is obvious that to be top of mind when voters are considering where to put their X, it is important to be visible. So, how do candidates achieve that visibility?

Dealing with the freely available options first, there is no doubt that social media channels provide an opportunity for expressing one’s position on key issues. In this age of democratised media channels it is possible to achieve a profile on multiple platforms. However, there are some considerations to bear in mind.

It is not possible to build up a sizeable following on social media in just a few months so this avenue will best serve those who have planned ahead or are already well established on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and, for those who are bold and young, or young at heart, TikTok. Such channels are useful for connecting with specific demographics.

A downside of social media is that a vociferous few followers can create the impression that there is a lot of traction, interest or support when this might be little more than white noise. It can lead to a false sense of optimism that one is reaching the masses, but how many of your followers are Guernsey residents and how many of those are on the electoral roll?

Engaging on social media is not for the faint-hearted and requires agility, adaptability and real-time responsiveness. It is important to respond to challenge, particularly during an election campaign, but industrious and vexatious arguers can be very time-consuming.

The ‘phone book’ of candidates issued to all voters ahead of the election is now a central tool in the campaign toolbox and, although it is not a perfect solution, I argued when reducing the allowable campaign budget to a maximum of £3,000 that it provides an accessible, level playing field for all candidates irrespective of their means.

There is also an opportunity for candidates to prepare a condensed version of their manifesto for the States-run website with the option to include a video. Video is not for everyone but it is more engaging, compelling and concise than a page full of words and can also be embedded within social media posts.

Even if there are fewer candidates than in 2020, voters will be bombarded with information, and my advice would be to keep the messaging brief and simple so that it can be easily digested by the reader.

The temptation for candidates is to try to cover all live issues in the manifesto book. But, with limited space, it will be important to prioritise rather than try to say everything about everything.

Clarity will shine through. KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid – is the standard media training advice.

It would also be wise to avoid making promises that you may not be able to keep. As important as views and positions on issues and policies will be, it is personal authenticity and character that will potentially earn the trust of the elector. Voters vote for people they can align themselves with and those whom they feel will remain true to their values and represent the community, after all that is the central part of the role of deputy.

During the last election, business groups and others encouraged candidates to include their CVs in manifestos and, while working in politics is quite different to working in business, the inclusion of a CV does give an indication of a candidate’s track record and capability.

There is no substitute for hard work when standing for election. If 2020 is anything to go by, there will be hundreds if not thousands of emails to answer in the busy few weeks between the close of nominations and voting day. Candidates should try to answer them all. There will also be invitations to pop-up hustings meetings, to presentations and speed-dating-style sessions with charities and lobby groups. In addition, the various branches of the media will be offering candidates the opportunity for exposure.

In the same way that a social media following cannot be built overnight, neither can public awareness be created by a candidate who is not already well known in the Guernsey community. For a little-known candidate, it could take years to establish a profile through, for example, taking on voluntary roles within a parish context, working in the third sector or in some other high-profile way.

Even for a new, low-profile candidate there is time to be visible during the campaign period by attending public events and areas of the island with strong footfall, but this is a hit-and-miss scattergun approach which would not normally be recommended in marketing.

Creativity is always welcome and sometimes even entertaining, but beware. With such a long ballot paper – 118 candidates to choose from in 2020 – it’s certainly important to get noticed, but there’s a thin line between that and being remembered for the wrong thing or, worse, becoming an irritation or figure of fun to voters.