Candidates use various media tools in attempt to woo voters

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KUWAIT CITY, Nov 7, (KUNA): Candidates running for the 2016 parliamentary elections seek with all means to lure voters including the latest integrated and sophisticated advertising and media tools. Such combination of media and advertising means, according to media professors at Kuwait University, includes usage of traditional tools such as radio, television and newspapers, in addition to the modern techniques such as the internet, posters and the social media outlets, not to forget the faceto- face contact with the voters.

To elaborate, Media Professor at Kuwait University Dr Mahmoud Al-Hashemi told KUNA that many candidates use the latest technological advertising means and specialized companies to run their electoral campaigns. He added that such combination of traditional and latest campaigning tools make the voter decide whether this candidate will be able to fulfill his or her promises. Al-Hashemi noted that studies have proven that the well-prepared advertisements can play a big role in directing the voter to go ahead and cast his ballot for a specific candidate, calling for adhering to the law in terms of setting up advertisements which must be rational. He also called on the candidates to address the entire community and not for a certain group of affiliation, saying the candidate represents the whole society.

On his part, Dr Fawaz Al-Ajmi, another media professor, said that emotional persuasion plays a big role in directing voters’ convictions, followed by the intellectual and the gestures the candidate uses to disseminate his or her message to the voters. He added that many candidates have no time to substantiate their message to the voters, however, instead they tend to resort to direct contact with the voters and take part in media programs, besides using the various social media tools.

Tools
For his part, Dr Khaled Al-Qahs, also a media professor at Kuwait University told KUNA that the ideal electoral campaign for any candidate must include usage of media tools besides the traditional ones in order to reach a big portion of the sought voters. He added that there are some candidates who do not have adequate money to take advantage of such tools but that does not mean he or she must stop, rather, he or she should focus on the best feasible means to get his or her message across to the voters. He also urged candidates to personally contact their voters through paying visits to their diwaniyas, saying that direct contact is an essential mean in the Kuwaiti society. In other news, up to 43 MPs represented the second constituency in 12 assemblies between 1981 and 2013.

Top
The constituency is marked as number one in terms of recurrent win of parliament seats by same figures, compared with the other constituencies. Khalaf Al-Dumaitheer is on top of the list of recurrently elected MPs in this constituency that comprises sub-divisions two, three, five, six and 18, according to the 25-constituency system — occupying the seat in 10 subsequent legislative terms, including the annulled 2012 parliament. Second was Jassem the late Al- Kharafi, who was elected for eight consecutive terms. Meshari Al-Anjeri and Ahmad Baqer won the seat in six terms in a row.

Those who maintained the parliamentary membership for four consecutive terms were Mohammad Al-Saqer (including the anulled 2012 parliament), Mohammad Al-Mutair and Marzouq Al-Ghanim (including the anulled 2012 parliament). Ali Al-Rashed served for five legislative terms (including the anulled 2013 parliament and his resignation of the 2013 parliament) Of the three consecutive terms record were Abdulaziz Al-Mutawaa, Abdullah Al-Nibari, Meshari Al-Osaimi, Rashed Al-Hebaidah and Abdulwahab Al-Haroun. Khaled Bin Issa and Jumaan Al-Hirbish also served same number (including the anulled 2012 parliament). In category of winning seats in two successive terms, were Jassem Al- Saqer, Abdulmohsen Jamal, Homoud Al-Roumi, Sabah Bou-Shiba, Hamad Al-Jo’an, Ahmad Al-Nassar and Fahad Al-Khennah. In the single-term category: Mohammad Al-Rushaid, Mohammad Al-Bader, Abdurrahman Al-Ghuneim, Jassem Al-Qutami, Abdullah Al-Aradah, Duaij Al-Shemmari, Abdullatif Al-Ameeri, Mohammad Al-Abduljader, Salwa Al-Jassar, Adnan Al-Mutawaa, Abdurrahman Al-Anjeri, Riyadh Al-Adsani, Rakan Al-Nisf, Adel Al-Kharafi, Hamad Al- Harshani, Oudah Al-Ruweiee, Abdurrahman Al-Jeeran, Khalil Al-Saleh Ahmad Lari and Ahmad Al-Qudheebi. Former MPs Al-Ameeri, Al-Mutawaa, Al-Anjeri, Al-Adsani, Al- Kharafi, Al-Harshani, Al-Jeeran and Al-Saleh all had seats in the anulled 2012 parliament. Elected MPs in this constituency have a record of occupying the chairmanship post of the parliament. Jassem Al-Kharafi served as speaker of the National Assembly for five terms; 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009. Ali Al-Rashed was speaker of the anulled 2012 parliament, while Marzouq Al- Ghanim was speaker of the 2013 parliament.

This news has been read 5909 times!