Supported by: ETP Slovakia, within "Your Earth" grant program; Freedom House
Project span: March 2002 – September 2002
Project team: Oľga Gyárfášová, Marián Velšic, Lýdia Marošiová
Co-operating Institutions: FOCUS Agency (field collection of data)
Objective: To assist key non-governmental players in identifying specific target groups, social environments, and communication strategies to achieve an increased participation in the 2002 parliamentary elections. To offer an information background for non-governmental and non-profit organizations on a regional level to more effectively implement projects aimed at mobilizing and informing citizens in the regions of Slovakia. The project was based on representative quantitative and qualitative sociological research with focus on specific target groups of the population – first-time voters and second-time voters. The quantitative research was aimed at the analysis of the social structure and views of these groups on the 2002 elections. The research was aimed at finding out the following: What is the share of those individuals who have decided to take part in the elections; what is the level of electoral optimism/pessimism; what issues are of interest to these groups; what individuals, including high-profile influential members of the society and authorities they find convincing in the election campaign; what communication tactics in the election campaign are compelling to them, and what approaches are ineffective. The results of the qualitative research were arrived at through structured group discussions (focus groups). For the purposes of the research, four group discussions took place. Two of these took place in Nitra on June 19, 2002 and two in Revúca on June 20, 2002.
Outputs:
Chapter: "Public Opinion" in the publication Slovakia 2002. Global Report on the State of Society, that is primarily published in the Slovak language, later followed by an abridged, updated and revised English language edition.
Chapters: "Young Voters" and "Non-governmental Organizations and Elections" in a publication titled Slovakia 2002. Global Report on the State of Society.
Analysis of research findings: "First-time voters and second-time Voters in the 2002 Election Campaign" – Part I & Part II (May 2002). Available in the Slovak language only.
Analysis of research findings: "Did First-time Voters Decide the Election?" In: Stratégie 12/2002. Available in the Slovak language only.
Seminar for members of non-governmental organizations – "Target groups for Increasing the Informedness and Participation in the 2002 Elections". Organized by IVO, March 20, 2002
Seminar for members of non-governmental organizations – "Target Groups for Increasing the Informedness and Participation in the 2002 Elections". Organized by ETP Slovakia in Zichy Palace, April 17, 2002 .
Presentation of research findings at an expert seminar titled "Elections 2002 – Public Opinion Research and Elections" organized by: Stratégie, SAVA, IRI, Parliamentary Institute. Bratislava, National Council of the Slovak Republic, June 24, 2002
Interviews for nation-wide, regional and foreign media.
