The district administration will pay special attention to areas with low voter turnout. To enhance polling percentage, it is planning to launch voter awareness programmes as part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative.
Kannur has 289 polling booths, and the average polling recorded in the previous elections in the district was less than 75 per cent.
Urban apathy
Incidentally, majority of these booths are in urban areas. And, the low voter turnout is attributed to urban apathy to voting. Under SVEEP, the district administration is planning to launch special drives in areas where polling percentage has been found inadequate.
“We are targeting constituencies such as Irikkur, Kannur, and Thalassery,” District Collector and District Electoral Officer P. Bala Kiran said, adding that improving voter turnout in such constituencies was a major responsibility. He is of the view that awareness drives will enhance polling percentage by 5 to 10 per cent in the Assembly election.
Traditionally, the district records a higher voter turnout, often exceeding 80 per cent. However, Kalliassery, Koothuparamba, Peravur, Irikkur, Kannur, and Thalassery record turnout below 80 per cent. The focus of SVEEP will be on these constituencies. The drive also includes special programmes to create awareness in tribal areas in the district, officials said.
A vote vehicle, aimed at creating awareness, will travel in areas that have recorded lower polling percentage, they added. A few days ago, the Collector had flagged off the vehicle and released a ‘SVEEP Kannur’ logo too.
Several programmes, including beach run, pledge-taking, and honouring of voters aged 100 and above have already been taken up under SVEEP. Programmes including flash mob, cartoon video and debates on maiden voters are also being planned.
Meanwhile, election observer in charge of voter awareness activities in the district N.S. Lamba called upon officials to intensify the awareness drive to raise the voting percentage to 90 per cent. He was speaking at a meeting of officials at the Collectorate here on Monday.
