Helping people to vote

1

Help people to vote(part 2)

Report prepared for bpostby Profacts

September 2012

Executive summary (august versus march 2012)

• Letterbox communication remains the most important communication channel for politicians to approach potential voters

• The closer to the elections, the more important the necessity to communicate on a personal basis

• Dutch voters prefer D2D channels and messages in the press, while southern voters prefer a more personal approach

bpost – Omnibus August 2012 - Profacts 2

Content


Part 1: Background & Objectives

Part 2: Sample description & methodology

Part 3: Key results

Part 4: Conclusions

4

With the elections coming up, bpost wanted to learn more about the voting habits of the Belgian population. More specific, they wanted to gain insight into the preferred communication channels of political

parties.

Background and objectives

bpost – Omnibus August 2012 - Profacts

Content

5



Part 3: Key results

Part 4: Conclusions


Methodology and sample

6

Online (CAWI)

DATACOLLECTION

N = 1000

*Sample weighted on age category

Language %

Dutch 58 %

French 42 %

Gender %

Female 50 %

Male 50 %

Age Category %

<30 21 %

30-39 20 %

40-49 21 %

50-59 20 %

60+ 18 %


Content

7



Part 3: Key results

Part 4: Conclusions


Question 1


How do you want to be approached by politicians ?

email

door-to-door folder

personalized letter

written press

television

radio

social networks

personal encounter

SMS

Series1 29

1

3

5

6

6

15

11

23

18

21

22

23

Series1 27

0

4

4

5

7

8

11

18

15

26

19

29

Series1 29

0

1

5

10

6

13

12

25

14

30

14

25

Series1 25

1

4

5

9

8

11

11

17

24

15

35

23

French (n=422)

9

Dutch (n=578)

Base: Total Sample (n=1000)

Overall, door-to-door-folders (27%) and personalized letters (26%) remain most preferred when voters want to be approached by politicians. Mind the differences between North & South.

“In general, how do you want to be approached by politicians?”


TOTAL

(n=1000)

I have no interest in politics

SMS

Other

Don't know

Personal encounter public places

Social networks

message on the radio

message on the internet

message on television

e-mail

message in written press

Personalized letter in mailbox

door-to-door folder

26

1

4

4

7

7

9

11

18

19

21

26

27

Significant between groupsDutch vs French

French (n=665)Dutch (n=903)


August 2012 March 2012

Series1 32

0

4

3

6

7

9

8

18

15

20

21

26


SMS

Other

Don't know


Social networks




e-mail

message in written press (newspapers, magazines)


door-to-door folder

26

1

4

4

7

7

9

11

18

19

21

26

27

Series1 34

1

2

5

7

7

13

10

25

13

24

15

23

Series1 25

0

2

5

9

6

14

14

24

19

28

21

25

Series1 20

1

4

6

7

8

10

14

18

22

23

31

28

10

Men (n=500) Women (n=500)

Men are more interested in politics. A personalized letter in the mailbox gains in popularity.


TOTAL

(n=1000)




Base: Total Sample (n=1000) Base: Total Sample (n=1568)

Significant between groupsmen vs women

Interest in politics seems to slightly increase when coming closer to the elections


29

2

1

4

7

7

16

16

27

15

27

14

30

21

0

5

4

9

1

11

10

21

21

28

26

24

33

1

1

6

8

16

13

16

25

16

25

17

23


SMS

Other

Don't know

Personal encounter public …

Social networks




e-mail

message in written press …


door-to-door folder

28

0

2

5

7

3

12

7

24

14

28

19

24

34

0

2

5

8

3

14

9

25

14

22

15

19

When coming closer to the elections the interest in politics has slightly increased compared to march.

10

60+ (N=282)50-59 (N=314)40-49 (N=329)<30 (N=329) 30-39 (N=314)




March 2012

24

1

4

4

10

11

11

15

16

21

21

21

29

19

1

7

7

5

2

9

7

20

21

19

37

27

26

0

5

5

7

4

8

9

17

18

21

31

27

29

1

5

4

8

6

6

7

14

17

16

23

23

31

0

1

2

3

12

13

16

21

16

30

20

28


SMS

Other

Don't know

Personal encounter public …

Social networks




e-mail

message in written press …


door-to-door folder

Younger people are less interested in politics and prefer messages in written press, internet, radio, and social networks.

11

60+ (N=180)50-59 (N=200)40-49 (N=210)<30 (N=210) 30-39 (N=200)




August 2012

Question 2


What is your preferred medium?

email

door-to-door folder

personalized letter

written press

television

radio

social networks

personal encounter

SMS

1

1

4

5

4

5

16

9

18

21

18

Series1 5

0

1

2

3

2

8

8

17

33

19

Other

SMS

Social networks






e-mail


door-to-door folder

6

0

1

2

3

4

9

12

13

24

25

2

0

2

4

6

4

15

21

12

13

23

Series1 6

0

2

2

3

6

10

16

10

17

29

French (n=298)

13

Dutch (n=398)

Letterbox communication has increased in importance versus March 2012. When coming closer to the elections personalized letters become more and more important. Mind the differences between the Dutch and French speaking

part.


TOTAL

(n=696)

“If you could choose one medium via which you are approached by politicians,what would it be?”

French (n=435)Dutch (n=594)

March 2012August 2012

Base: Total Sample – not interested/don’t know (n=696)



3

0

2

4

5

3

18

16

13

13

23

Series1 5

0

1

1

4

6

7

12

14

27

22

3

0

1

4

6

6

13

16

16

19

18

Other

SMS

Social networks






e-mail


door-to-door folder

6

0

1

2

3

4

9

12

13

24

25

Series1 6

0

1

3

2

3

12

13

12

20

28

14


Women value a door to door folder mostly, while men have a significant preference for personalized letters.


TOTAL

(n=696)

“If you could choose one medium via which you are approached by politicians,what would it be?”

March 2012August 2012




Significant between groupsmen vs women

Question 3


Where would you get information?

political debates

door-to-door folder

discussions with friends/family

party websites

other websites

personalized letters

social networks

The closer towards the elections, the more people seek information in door to door folders.

16

“For the upcoming elections, where would you get information concerning which person/party to vote for?”

Other

I don't look for information because I'm not interested

Personalized letters received in mailbox

Website political part(y)(ies)

Door-to-door folders received in mailbox

2

15

14

9

15

14

19

22

31

43

Base: Total Sample (n=1000) bpost – Omnibus August 2012 - Profacts

TOTAL

(n=1000)

2

15

15

9

12

20

19

20

29

43

3

15

14

9

18

6

18

25

34

42

3

8

15

13

13

21

20

25

55

4

7

20

10

15

6

20

28

50

French (n=422)Dutch (n=578) French (n=665)Dutch (n=903)



Series1 5

17

11

6

25

7

14

18

42

44

Series1 0

12

12

10

11

25

26

25

33

52

Series1 5

18

16

7

10

10

13

20

25

37

Younger people tend to discuss more often with friends and family. Older people gain info from door to door folders and personalised letters.

Bpost – Omnibus March 2012 - Profacts 17

60+ (N=180) 50-59 (N=200) 40-49 (N=210) <30 (N=210) 30-39 (N=200)

“For the upcoming elections, where would you get information concerning which person/party to vote for?”


Other

I don't look for information because I'm not interested

Personalized letters received in mailbox

Website political part(y)(ies)

Door-to-door folders received in mailbox

0

13

19

11

10

19

25

28

27

38

August 2012

Series1 2

14

13

11

20

7

14

18

32

44

News & Politics

Helping people to vote