The municipal campaign on enrollment of new voters may not have caught its target

Within a few hours, the deadline to be registered on the electoral roll in order to be able to vote in 2012 will be over. After an ill inspired ads campaign with billboards in Angers streets dedicated to young people, town hall indicated on its website that these could be registered up to saturday. The internet page indicates that the right to vote is open to French as well as Union European citizens but quotes the endless sentence : "To vote is a right, but it's also a civic duty" (without telling what is its origin).


 But, what are the results of such efforts? Curiously, the city website doesn't give any information. The local newspaper Ouest-France wrote "Usually, at Angers town hall, the latecomers flock during the last days of December... But, this year, the counters are not invaded by citizens of last minute". A little more indicative "impact" of the municipal campaign on potential voters is given by a town hall employee : "The number of enrollments this year is comparable to the number of 2006, year of presidential elections". In other words, the billboards over the city didn't touch their target.

Credit : Angers city

French newspapers published recently analysis about the involment of towns in the promotion of enrollment. It is said that left municipalities did more important effort to catch new voters, above all young voters who have the reputation to vote for left candidates...