Elections Communication Campaign

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Local governments are always balancing limited resources during election season. But throw in an ongoing raging pandemic, economic uncertainty, numerous last-minute changes to Virginia law pertaining to an upcoming presidential election and voting misinformation being spread through news outlets and social media, and the results are a county facing a massive communications challenge.Chesterfield County resources were already spread thin due to ongoing COVID-19 communication efforts. The state had been in lockdown for several months and a contentious presidential election was on the horizon. Chesterfield County needed to act quickly to make sure residents were informed about the upcoming November general election. The county’s challenges included making residents aware of new election law changes, a variety of ways people could now vote, various early voting locations and days, and voter registration deadlines. It also was the first-time Virginia had “no-excuse early voting” – further perpetuating built-in bias from an electorate not used to voting before Election Day, much less visiting a polling location not within their district. The Chesterfield County Department of Communications and Media was tasked with crafting a comprehensive communication campaign for the 2020 general election, whose messaging strategy dominated state media and garnered international attention.