Candidates use social media to reach out to voters
The campaign tactics should make it clear why the voters should support that candidate and be built on the same theme and visual elements, he added.
One approach many candidates use is campaign signs and throughout Muscat more and more of these signs are being put up every day.
In Wilayat Bausher, for example, candidates including Malik Al Yahmadi, Aziz Al Hosni, and incumbent Mohammed Al Busaidi have had signs up for several weeks.
Campaign signs are helpful since they increase the candidates’ visibility and put a face to the campaign, said Arshi.
In this day and age, social media is very important for campaigns because many people can be reached. Arshi suggested candidates could create hashtags around their campaign themes and get a lot of traffic that way.
Incumbent Mohammed Salim Al Busaidi told Times of Oman, he is using signs to generate publicity and using a lot of social media, including platforms like Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
“The signs are part of the campaign and also I’m focusing on social media. Social media now is very important and you can pass your information and interests very fast to a big number of people. It’s cost effective. I’ve already started leaving some video clips where I’m talking about my campaign, and we designed some electronic brochures,” he said.
Since he is running for re-election, Al Busaidi said he has the experience needed for the position and has visited many parliaments internationally so he understands how the system works. He said people can evaluate his performance and understand what he can do for the country.
“I feel the output will be better for me for the second term if I get re-elected. People know who I am now and what I can do,” said Al Busaidi.
Al Busaidi said this campaign is different from the last since there are now municipal councils to help people with local matters in the wilayats.
National issues
The Majlis Al Shura candidates need to focus on national issues, he said, adding that his areas of focus for the campaign are education, public health, youth, community and the economy.
Another candidate in Wilayat Bausher, Issa Said Al Salti, has not yet put up signs, but has been using social media and meeting publicly with voters. He said many people are not interested in voting so by talking to them directly he hopes to change that.
“First of all I’m meeting with youth on my age, and meeting with elites to change their negative points of view and make them realise the importance of their votes in the upcoming Majlis Shura. There are lots of negative views now on Shura and I don’t blame them, so one of my main goals in my strategy is changing this concept, by action and not merely words,” said Al Salti.
He said he believes the Majlis Al Shura is a forum for constructive criticism, renovation and modernization of laws which should serve the country and the citizens’ public interests. He said his education and experience would make him a strong member and that he would consider the role it a way to serve Oman.
Al Salti said his aim is to run an open and honest campaign in which he doesn’t make promises he can’t keep. He added that he isn’t relying on family ties to secure votes and hopes other candidates won’t either. He said he has been encouraging his relatives to vote with reason and impartiality, and consider which candidates represent their views rather than considering personal connections.
“Becoming a member of Al Shura council is not something that is built based on vanity, but with rightness, principles and solid values. This is an invite to all my fellow candidates to always bear these values and cherish them close to their hearts and act on them accordingly,” he said.
Malik Hilal Al Yahmadi is running in Bausher, too, where his campaign signs are dotting the roads. His slogan is “The best amongst people is the best for people.” In addition to his signs, he also has a website and Facebook and Twitter accounts to reach out to voters.
He believes he has the qualities needed for a member of the Majlis Al Shura including a Master’s degree in Management, a lot of experience in education development, administration and manage- ment, trading and economy, and social services.
“I believe that every single human is not created for himself only, we are created to work for the community, to help and assist eachother; from my point of view I think that anyone who just thinks that he is created for himself is a selfish person. Moreover, I think I have the competence to represent people in Majlis Al Shura,” he said.
Regardless of the tactics used, the most important aspect of the campaigns is that the candidates differentiate themselves from the competition, Arshi said.
“Differentiation is the key. How different are you from others and why should you be supported? This should be clear. The candidates are just not people; they have ideologies and philosophies for which they stand,” he said.
Al Yahmadi, who is also on the Municipal Council, said he would encourage people to vote for him because Bausher is a central wilayat which deserves high attention and sustainable development since it serves not just its own people but much of the nation, and as such needs a representative with experience. “Through my service at the Municipal Council, I have done my best to serve Bousher people at all towns and villages. The excellent relations with the different communities becomes a source of reliability, trust and pride between me and people. My vision for Bousher is to be the leading and role model wilayat for all other wilayats in Oman in all life aspects,” he said.