Lights, Camera, Action?

Lights, Camera, Action?

This week at the WAEC I had the opportunity to appear in a short video demonstrating

 how the voting process works. The video was made for employees on election day, to give them an understanding of how the day runs and what tasks they will be required to do.

The filming took place at Parkland Villas, a retirement home complex in Woodlands. We invited the residents of the home to participate in our video, which I thought was a great way of getting them involved in the voting process. Although during my internship with the WAEC I have been looking at ways to engage with youths, this experience made me realise that we still need to ensure that the elder generations know that their vote counts and stands for something.

Along with my fellow intern Winnie, we were recorded casting our votes on numerous occasions, each time taking on a new identity who votes within a different electorate. This allowed us to understand the procedures that happen when someone comes to vote at a polling booth outside the electorate in which they live. The video comprehensively outlines any issues that could arise i.e. someone filling out the form incorrectly, and informs staff members on how to deal with the situation effectively. 

I am 19 years old and have only voted once, that being in the recent Federal Election. This election was before I started my internship at the WAEC, and for the first time, I am looking at elections in a different light, and actually appreciating all the work that goes into making it run smoothly.

At the end of the day, an election is an event. It involves planning, consideration and professional execution. This shows how broad and wide ranging PR is, and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of a video that will not only teach people how things operate on an election day, but also helped me to understand all the behind the scenes work that goes into planning and running this event.