Politicians embrace social media in Cook Islands election race
Politicians in the Cook Islands have been utilising social media in an attempt to tap into the younger, swing voters for this year's election.
Transcript
Politicians in the Cook Islands have been utilising social media in an attempt to tap into the younger, swing voters for this year's election.
The ruling Cook Islands Party, the Democratic Party and independents have been using Facebook as a way of interracting with and informing the public.
Leilani Momoisea reports:
William Numanga has been driving the ruling Cook Island Party's online media campaign. He says they're reaching out to people who might not have the time to read the party's manifesto, or pay attention to TV ads or newspaper articles. Mr Numanga says the Prime Minister, Henry Puna, is an active facebook user and they are constantly getting feeback from users. He says the majority of the older generation will not change their party vote, but for targetting the younger vote, facebook has been the way to go.
WILLIAM NUMANGA The younger population, say between 18 to 35, 40 - that's where the swing voters are, and I think you've got to build a strategy around that age group and a lot of those people in that age group have access to either a phone, a laptop or a tablet of some sort.
He says however, for the outer-islands, radio and home visits are still the most effective way of reaching people. The Democratic Party has a facebook page and a party website. The party's campaign manager, Piltz Napa, says they recognised the important role social media played when watching the most recent Australian and United States elections. He says traditional media will always have a role to play in reaching their audience, but social media might help young voters make more independent choices.
PILTZ NAPA: We're actually utilising this for a lot more younger people to help them make their own decisions, not necessarily a family decision, because you know, sometimes families tend to be party selective, and the children become the same. So by using the internet we feel that it's actually, probably an additional way.
An independent candidate for Ngatangiia, Teina Mackenzie, says it's been encouraging to see her facebook page rival the larger parties in popularity and reach. She says she feels people are considering their options a lot more this election and facebook gives people the option to privately research more about candidates they might be interested in supporting.
TEINA MACKENZIE: There's no replacing knocking on doors, and meeting people direct. But the social media certainly strengthens your position in that some of the message that you can get out, get to family members who are further afield. If you've got some comments to make with family members, they do that. So I do notice that the reach broadens, but it certainly doesn't replace the importance of one on one home visits.
The Cook Islands general election is to be held on July the 9th.
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.