The campaigns for council are many but most employ similar ideas. Candidates share photographs of themselves spontaneously rolling up sleeves to rid parks of litter (dare you to count how many have done this). There are dogs. And more dogs. There are vaccination selfies. There are appearances on podcasts you’ve never heard of. There are surveys and newsletters. But within the expected there are also some standout trends in the 2021 campaign, both from candidates and the those holding the elections. Here are five.
Trend: Drive-Thru Voting
What: Err, you drive through and you vote (with a side of fries)
Why: Well, Albertans love their cars (but mostly trucks), but also COVID-19
Where: Strathcona County
In 2017, Calgary offered those casting an advance ballot the opportunity to do so from their vehicle. Advance drive-thru polls were set up at McMahon Stadium. This year, Strathcona County is giving the idea a whirl, and credits the successful use of drive-thru vaccination sites as one reason it believes there’s a need.
Interestingly, Lloydminster — the city that straddles the Alberta and Saskatchewan border — cancelled drive-thru voting last year because the returning officer refused to “risk the health and safety of voters and election staff or the integrity of the ballot."
Trend: Candidates Talking to Themselves
What: Candidates from different wards agree to hangout online and have a public discussion. Think less combative than debate, and the public is allowed to eavesdrop
Why: Exposure, engagement
Where: Calgary
“The basic idea behind why is that while there are ward specific issues, often as councillors we deal with topics/matters that are city-wide,” says Kourtney Branagan, a candidate in Ward 11 in Calgary who helped organize the Conversations Among Candidates event.
“It was a chance to talk about high level, value based thinking,” she says, in a note to Rage. “I wanted to try something different to see how people responded.”
Trend: Influencer Marketing as Campaigning
What: Influencers endorsing candidates on social media
Why: To influence you (obvi)
Where: On your phone
There’s nothing new to candidates receiving endorsements during campaigns. In the past these endorsements often stayed within the realm of political or business leaders backing someone. To no one’s surprise, though, the most well-of-course 2021 campaign trend is the use of influencer-marketing tactics. We like to fit in with our friends. If our friends are voting for someone, we’re likely going to consider that candidate, because we want to fit into our peer group.
Trend: Swag to Fundraise
What: Beyond the cash donation
Why: Mixing shopping and politics is bound to have interesting results
Where: Calgary
Rather than just asking for cash for their campaigns, some candidates are offering up swag — sweaters, pencils and other stuff — which sees part of the cost go to their campaign, but also sees you get some swag rather than just your name as a funder on their campaign website. Branagan in Calgary is selling ‘Happiest in Community’ sweatshirts (see above) for $65. Her website copy suggests just shy of $30 of this amount goes toward her campaign — which she suggests is fully funded by donations and her own contributions.
Trend: Concert Tour Campaign
What: Why campaign when you can go on tour, like rock stars?
Why: Because it’s far cooler than the traditional campaign
Where: Calgary
This just oozes cool. It’s unclear if it’ll be copied or borrowed by anyone else but treating the campaign like a concert tour is definitely novel. Shall we lift lighters into the air?
Didn’t Quite Make the Cut
This is a dirty tactic.
Sorry, had to.
For a mayoral campaign, number 16 is … *headexploding.GIF