Know Your Vote. Trust, truth & the ballot
Halifax Public Libraries
Innovation Synopsis
Within 27 weeks, voters in the Halifax Regional Municipality headed to the polls three times, electing municipal, provincial & federal leaders.
Each election featured unique challenges, including new electoral boundaries & the rise of disinformation, making it difficult for voters to find accurate information. With declining trust in institutions & growing polarization, Halifax Public Libraries saw an opportunity to support all voters—whether you were a new or lifelong voter—navigating the democratic process.
It is increasingly difficult to find accurate information that is not editorialized, therefor, helping all citizens find unbiased information is part of HPL's mandate. The 2024-25 Know Your Vote campaign (KYV) featured four objectives:
- Direct voters to accurate & official information sources, particularly for first time voters
- Offer unbiased information for voters
- Offer voters opportunities to engage with civic issues & the democratic process
- Consistent branding
Challenge/Opportunity
Position Library staff as information experts – ready to respond to common questions, direct visitors to official information sources & help spot misinformation.
-Branded name tags & lanyards for volunteers
-Giveaway material (pens, stickers)
-Posters
-Campaign Digital Screens
Know Your Vote Toolkit & Digital Hub (refreshed for each election)
-Customized web portal
-Customized FAQ pages
-Municipal district maps; links to Elections NS, Elections Canada for district boundaries
-Civics related educational material: one-page explainers simplifying the responsibilities & difference between a City Councillor, MLA, & MP
-Shelf talkers in relevant sections of the Collection
-Digital signage
-Pens & giveaways
Youth programs
-Mock elections featuring children‘s literary characters
-In-branch bulletin boards asking community members what they want to know about the election.
Collection
-Democracy themed Reading Lists
-In-branch book displays
Key Elements of Innovation
Public libraries are committed to democracy and civic engagement. KYV created a framework for public libraries during elections.
Consistency & repetition
-Creating a branded campaign that community members could instantly recognize & engage with, removed barriers to a overwhelming process for some.
-Using a neutral colour, not associated with a Canadian political party, golden yellow, allowed HPL to be flexible and activate the KYV campaign quickly.
Partners in Innovation
-Halifax Central Library, Paul O’Regan Hall hosted At Issue’s Chantal Hébert, Andrew Coyne and Althia Raj joined Rosemary Barton on April 10 for a rare taping for broadcast in front of a live audience.
-Partnered with Municipal Returning Officer to host candidate information sessions in public libraries.
-Elections Canada hosted 5 information booths in Public Libraries
-The official swearing in ceremony for the new municipal Mayor & Council took place at Halifax Central Library on November 5, 2024.
Achieved Outcomes
Results
-Strengthened relationships with Municipal Clerk & Returning Officer positioning public libraries as barrier-free spaces for democracy & learning
-Strengthened relationships have allowed for more civics programming outside of election cycles
-Strengthened relationships with local and regional democratic organizations with aligned mandates
-Total website visits: 4,930 during campaign period
-During the three campaigns, page engagement rate ranged between 54% & 59% of visitors taking a desired page action, or viewing at least 2 pages.
-Some staff felt comfortable referring community members to partner resources or using FAQs/one-pager explainer documents to respond to questions
-Some staff indicated they felt more prepared to respond to community questions & direct inquiries
