London Elects has two distinct functions – operations and communications.
Operations
The operations team is responsible for the
planning and co-ordination of all logistical aspects of the
elections. The team works closely with electoral staff in the 32
London boroughs and the City of London to provide training and
support for polling station staff and to ensure that suitable
venues are selected for counting votes. They will also manage
candidate nominations for the Mayoral election and the London-wide
list section of the London Assembly election.
The operations team manages the contract with Indra, the company
providing electronic vote-counting, and works with government on
budget and legal issues.
Communications
The communications team ensures that the
election process is transparent and that information is made
available to everyone – to London voters, candidates and political
parties, the media and stakeholders.
Another important part of the team’s work is voter education.
London Elects will explain the voting process, and address the
relevance of the Mayor and the London Assembly to the lives of
Londoners.
Activity is targeted at all of London’s adult population. This will
include the 5.3m registered voters and the unknown number of people
in London who are eligible to vote but who are not registered.
The communications team are working with the
Electoral Commission on a public information campaign to
raise the number of registered voters in London.
Other activites in the communications plan include:
- a wide-reaching advertising campaign
- the London Elects website
- PR activity, including briefings for journalists and events to
promote the election
- paper publications, including factsheets, staff training
materials, candidate information and a monthly newsletter called
"The Ballot Paper"
- a 'mayoral address' booklet, containing 'mini-manifestos'
from mayoral candidates, which must be delivered, by law, to all of
London's 5.3m voters.
The communications team is also responsible for co-ordinating
communications and media management during the counting of ballot
papers and announcement of results.