Election agent

Election agents manage a political candidate’s campaign and oversee the operations of elections to ensure accuracy. They develop strategies to support candidates and persuade the public to vote for the candidate they represent. They conduct research to gauge which image and ideas would be most advantageous for the candidate to present to the public in order to secure the most votes.

The following job titles also refer to election agent:

electorate officer
parliamentary agent
campaign manager
elections officer

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as election agent. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Election agent is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to election agent.

political campaign officer
political party agent
campaign canvasser
public affairs consultant
political scientist

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of election agent. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of election agent with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of election agent.

Election law: The regulations concerning the procedures during elections, such as voting regulations, campaign regulations, which procedures candidates must follow, how votes are counted, and other electoral procedures.
Political campaigning: The procedures involved in conducting a succesful political campaign, such as the specific research methods, promotional tools, liaising with the public, and other strategic aspects concerning the organising and conducting of political campaigns.

These skills are necessary for the role of election agent.

Advise on public relations: Advise business or public organisations on public relations management and strategies in order to ensure efficient communication with target audiences, and proper conveying of information.
Communicate with media: Communicate professionally and present a positive image while exchanging with media or potential sponsors.
Advise politicians on electoral procedures: Advise politicians before and during elections on campaigning procedures and on the politician’s public presentation and courses of action which may beneficially influence elections.
Analyse election procedures: Analyse the proceedings during elections and campaigns in order to monitor the voting behaviour of the public, identify ways in which the election campaign can be improved for politicians, and to predict the election outcomes.
Perform public relations: Perform public relations (PR) by managing the spread of information between an individual or an organisation and the public.
Liaise with politicians: Liaise with officials fulfilling important political and legislative roles in governments in order to ensure productive communication and build relations.
Monitor political campaigns: Monitor the methods applied in the conducting of a political campaign to ensure all the regulations are adhered to, such as the regulations concerning campaign financing, promotional methods, and other campaign procedures.
Monitor elections: Monitor the proceedings on the day of elections to ensure that the voting process and the counting process occur according to regulations.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of election agent. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Political science: The systems of government, the methodology concerning the analysis of political activity and behaviour, and the theory and practice of influencing people and acquiring governance.
Advertising techniques: The communication strategies intended to persuade or encourage an audience, and the different media which are used to achieve this goal.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of election agent. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Promote political campaign: Promote the political party or politician before and during election when the political campaign is being held to ensure a wide audience and the most beneficial outcome possible for the political candidate or party, by performing promotional activities.
Prepare presentation material: Prepare the documents, slide shows, posters and any other media needed for specific audiences.
Coordinate events: Lead events by managing budget, logistics, event support, security, emergency plans and follow up.
Establish collaborative relations: Establish a connection between organisations or individuals which may benefit from communicating with one another in order to facilitate an enduring positive collaborative relationship between both parties.
Maintain relationships with government agencies: Establish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.
Conduct public surveys: Conduct the procedures of a public survey from the initial formulation and compilation of the questions, identifying the target audience, managing the survey method and operations, managing the processing of acquired data, and analysing the results.
Develop promotional tools: Generate promotional material and collaborate in the production of promotional text, videos, photos, etc. Keep previous promotional material organised.
Solicit event publicity: Design advertisement and publicity campaign for upcoming events or exhibitions; attract sponsors.
Fix meetings: Fix and schedule professional appointments or meetings for clients or superiors.
Create campaign schedule: Create a timeline and establish final goals for the procedures and tasks of a political or promotional campaign.
Coordinate advertising campaigns: Organise course of action to promote a product or service; oversee the production of TV advertisements, newspaper and magazine ads, suggest mail packs, email campaigns, websites, stands and other advertising channels
Manage fundraising activities: Initiate fundraising activities managing the place, teams involved, causes and budgets.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Develop media strategy: Create the strategy on the type of content to be delivered to the target groups and which media to be used, taking into account the characteristics of the target audience and the media that will be used for content delivery.
Influence voting behaviour: Influence the public during a political or other legislative campaign which requires voting in order to ensure that they vote for the party, individual or motion which is preferred, by talking with individuals and using promotional strategies.
Advise on public image: Advise a client such as a politician, artist or another individual dealing with the public on how to present themselves in a way which would gain most favour from the general public or a target audience.

2432 – Public relations professionals

 

 

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References

1. Election agent – ESCO