Posters, banners, loudspeakers – we’ve seen them all during election campaigns.
This time a brand new medium has entered the arena. The SMS (short messaging service)
has bitten campaigners in bar election.
You cannot meet everyone in a family during door to door campaigns. Many of them
are at work. I note down the numbers of those who carry mobiles and send them SMS,
seeking their votes,”
“I also use it to co-ordinate with my workers during election meetings.”
"Party workers carrying mobiles are a common sight in campaign offices. A candidate
has distributed more than a dozen mobiles to his campaign workers"
“I received a number of SMS from candidates seeking votes"
“Sending SMS has become cheaper with some operators some providing the service free.”
"In most cases, it’s the technosavy young candidates who are exploring this facility.
The older generation seems to shy way from it"
“SMS based campaigns are comparatively cheaper than traditional media, no clutter
and highly responsive.”
"The mobile phone has come handy for candidates to reach executives, managers, bureaucrats,
homemakers and senior citizens at a personal level"
"Seeking vote through an SMS is like paying a visit as today the cell phone has
almost become a part of one's body"
"Some innovative ideas on how out to campaign by SMS: A party symbol 'Lion' or 'Arrow'
as a screen saver in a mobile phone in a last-minute effort to get the voter's attention"
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Election-Related Information
"You can provide election-related information through SMS. Through this service
the public can access electoral roll data on their mobile through SMS"