OBA to capture youth vote via social networking

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: The OBA is poised to launch an ‘e-election’ using technology to reach younger voters, party chiefs said.

Michael Branco, newly-appointed deputy chairman of the party and an IT expert, said that new technology like social networking was vital to capture the youth vote.

Mr Branco said: “The generation ahead of me communicates by phone. People in my age group do everything by e-mail.

“My younger sister’s generation, you have to get them on Facebook or Twitter.

“You have to understand all these channels — you have to address each group through the appropriate channels and understand the demographics.

“Politics was one way — politicians broadcasted their vision and that was it. What we’re seeing now through social networking is that the dialogue is two way.

“We are, in essence, on a virtual doorstep and that’s going to be very important in the next election. We saw that with Barack Obama’s campaign for president. His team realised how important that was to engage that younger demographic.”

Mr Branco, 35, was speaking as he and new party chairman Thad Hollis settled into their new roles at the party HQ in Hamilton’s Reid Street.

Mr Hollis, 50, a professional mediator with a background in industrial relations, said, although he was new to politics, he and the party were ready to fight a general election.

He added: “We are confident we’re ready.

“We can field candidates and we can contest a general election whenever we have to.

“I’m a newcomer to politics — I’d never participated in party politics until I joined the OBA. I was always interested, but felt there was no representation I could follow.

“When the OBA came around, I looked at its principles and there was a philosophy that was close to my own.

“My kids have graduated from university. I’m a mediator and advocate and I’ve worked with those who often feel they don’t have a voice. It was time to take that to another level and this was it.

“To me, politics is really about good communication and having clarity in the message. It’s facilitating best practices and good governance.

“It’s been a really exciting week for me — we’re reaching out and getting new members in every day. It’s invigorating.”

Mr Hollis added that the November Devonshire South Central by-election caused by the resignation of interim leader John Barritt, where new leader Senator Craig Cannonier will face PLP challenger Anthony Richardson, will help to keep party momentum up.

He said: “This is the perfect platform to keep up this enthusiasm we’ve been met with.

“Craig Cannonier’s candidacy and campaign will help us to keep reaching out to people.”

He added: “Every age group has concerns — the over-65s have worries about pensions, housing and they’re worried about their families. But we have to be aware that 65 isn’t old now — they’re doing things their parents wouldn’t have done at that age because they regarded themselves as old.

“There’s that younger generation and the future we are creating for them today.

“Membership in the OBA is open to anyone over the age of 16. It’s important they realise how we as Bermuda go forward together. It doesn’t matter if you’re OBA or PLP, if you’re suffering that’s a matter for the whole community.

“Every demographic is important because each has a role to play in moving our country forward.”