Urban voter antipathy, a big concern for EC officials in Mysuru

How do you bring urban voters antipathetic to voting to the polling booths?

This is the biggest challenge the Election Commission faces every election, with many voters from cities averse to elections and contributing to poor voting percentage.

The three constituencies of Mysuru urban area, which has a sizeable chunk of educated voters with the city being an education hub, recorded low voter turnout in the 2013 Assembly elections. Chamaraja, Krishnaraja and Narasimharaja segments recorded polling of 55.11%, 58.49% and 54.44%, respectively.

The poor voting percentage has drawn the attention of the EC ,which has identified these segments as high-focus constituencies as part of the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) drive to improve voter turnout on May 12.

Mysuru district has 24.32 lakh voters this time, which is 12% more than the number of voters in the 2013 polls. SVEEP volunteers are making door-to-door visits in the constituencies and appealing to people to vote compulsorily.

Survey results

Speaking to The Hindu, zilla panchayat CEO Shivashankar, who heads SVEEP activities in Mysuru, said a Statewide survey that also recorded voters’ opinions from Mysuru’s constituencies on voter awareness and participation had revealed that lack of information on booths was one of the main reasons people don’t go out and vote.

“Based on the survey, we have chalked out some programmes under SVEEP to increase voting percentage. Voter slips, basic facilities in booths and so on are among the measures taken,” he said.

He said the survey was conducted by S. Madheswaran of the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC) on behalf of the Election Commission. The survey was conducted to know how informed voters were on the election process. “A copy of the survey was shared with us in order to take the steps necessary,” he said.

Mr. Shivashankar said 33% of the voters do not know where to go and vote, whether it be in terms of booth or area. There are also voters who seek facilities such as drinking water and toilet at the booths for them to come and vote.

Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, convener of the Voter Awareness Movement, said voting has to be made mandatory. He also said the voting percentage would go up once the electoral reforms pending for years are implemented. Over 13 reforms are awaiting approval and steps should be taken to expedite their clearing, he said. There is also an urgent need to bring about amendments to the rules that administer elections, he added.