Tara Davis Tldavis3@bsu.edu J265 Voting Semester Project

Strategic Communications Plan Client: The Indiana Secretary of State, Connie Lawson Organizational (Marketing/Business) Goal: To increase the number of college-aged voters betewen 18 and 24 in Indiana state and local elections. Public Relations Goal: To raise awareness of voting and why it is important for college-age voters in the state of Indiana. Marketplace environment: The Indiana secretary of state has a positive influence on the state of Indana and wants to increasae the number of voter turnouts in the 2016 election. It is especially important to the Indiana Secretary of State to increase the number of 18 to 24 year old voters, or Millennials because they are the largest generation in American history. The following are three adjectives that describe client:

- Trustworthy - Educated - Hoosier oriented

The following are competitors (groups who raise money from same audiences):

- College Republicans - University Democrats - Student Government Association

What this organization does better than competitors:

- Focuses on the people of Indiana and targets them specifically and connects with them on a personal level

Organizational Strategy: On Friday, Sept. 30, the Indiana secretary of state will host a special event in Ball State University’s John. E. Worthen Arena with Indiana Pacers basketball player and Indiana native, George Hill. Hill will talk about the importance of voting for the college-age students. One lucky student will have the opportunity to participate in a three-point contest with Hill and win an autographed jersey. The event is free and open to all Ball State students, as well as the public of Muncie, Indiana. A media alert and PSAs will be sent out to media in the surrounding areas to inform them about this event. Problem: College students need to be reminded of the rights they have as American citizens to vote. They also need to be informed of the importance of voting and reasons why they should. Organizational Preparedness:

- The client chargest fees for certain requests - The client offers programs that are applicable for college students - Depending on the service, the client may take five business days to a month,

depending on the delivery times of the United States Postal Service - The client has hired this agency to develop a communications strategic plan

Target Public(s): College students in Indiana, or young people between the ages of 18 and 24 in Indiana. Tactic(s)/Tools/Materials Needed:

- A media alert about the event with George Hill - A follow up news release after the upcoming event - A fact sheet about why students should register to vote or go out and vote - Four PSAs about the event with George Hill

Deadline Date(s): Media Alert: Sept. 26 PSAs: Sept. 1 Follow up news release: Oct. 3 Fact sheet: Sept. 30

Anticipated Distribution: Ball State Daily News, The Star Press and Indiana Public Radio (WBST-FM) Message(s):

1. 18 to 24-year-old voting turnouts are the lowest of any other age group 2. It is your right as an American citizen to vote 3. Your vote counts

Approvals needed: The Indiana Secretary of State, Connie Lawson Potential crises with this project: - Opposing parties could disagree with each other and start arguments with each other - We will try our best to keep the individual opinions of voters out of it and focus on

getting their voice heard by voting and using that right that they have

Tara Davis

J265

Swingley

Voting Project Summary Paper

Summary of voting project

With my research on voting, there were several things that stood out in almost all

of the sources that I looked at. A common theme was the lack of voters there are in the

ages between 18 and 29.

Almost all of my articles that I read talked about how this age group is the least

represented when it comes to voting. I wondered why this was, so I read more and found

that college students are either not registered to vote, do not feel educated enough to vote

or do not think that their vote counts or makes a difference.

Voting is important to everyone because it is in our rights as an American citizen

to vote when we have the opportunity. It is important to educate yourself on what is

going on around the world and have a voice about it.

I can personally relate to the research that I found about college students not

feeling educated enough to vote. I have felt this way and have realized that I need to

educate myself and take responsibility to know who the candidates are and learn about

and make a decision on what I believe.

It is important for students to recognize that they have a voice and it matters to the

country as a whole.

Another problem that I saw was the college students not knowing where to vote or

not having cars on campus or in the state that they are in. This makes it difficult for the

students and they end up not caring enough to find a solution to their problem.

My research showed me that the millennial generation is the largest generation yet

in the United States. This generation is large and can be in charge if we took the

opportunities that we have at hand.

My research showed me that this generation has a voice and they make it loud and

clear over social media on political events like gay marriage laws, religious freedom laws

and gun laws, but they fail to show it when it comes to the important part in voting.

I saw that another factor in getting Millennials to vote is the social aspect.

Different social norms play a factor in getting the generation to vote. It may not be “cool”

to vote for a certain person, or to go out and vote at all. The expectation is overall very

low and they don’t care to change it.

The number of voters of 18 to 29-year-olds compared to the number of votes in

the older ages is very different. One of my academic journals said that only 22 percent of

18-29-year-olds reported voting regularly, where as more than 40 percent of people over

the age of 50 reported voting.

Getting people registered is a problem, but overall based on my research, I saw

that the main problem is getting people to actually go out and vote. Once people do get

registered to vote, they don’t take action and act out on it. It is important to follow

through with it.

It is important that college-aged people know that their vote counts and it does

make a difference toward the country as a whole.

Bibliography

Books (2): Greenberg, Eric H., and Karl Weber. Generation We: How Millennial Youth Are Taking

Over America and Changing Our World Forever. Emeryville, CA: Pachatusan, 2008. Print.

Wattenberg, Martin P. Is Voting for Young People: With a New Chapter on the 2008 and

2010 Elections. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.

Scholarly Journals (2): Cannon, C. M. “Generation ‘We’—The Awakened Giant. (Cover Story).” National

Journal. 39.10 (2007): 20-27. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. Glynn, Carroll J., Michael E. Huge, and Carole A. Lunney. “The Influence Of Perceived

Social Norms On College Students’ Intention To Vote.” Political Communication 26.1 (2009): 48-64. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3. Feb. 2016.

Newspapers (3): Guidroz, John. “Legislators offer ideas to improve election process.” The State Journal-

Register [Springfield] 14 Feb. 2010: n. pag. Print.

Ricks, Selena. “Voters’ quandary; Using absentee ballots is easier for college students, but their votes may be more impact if they register in Maine.” Portland Press Herald [Maine] 13 Sept. 2004: n. pag. Print. 3 Feb. 2016.

Susan, Page, Ung Jenny and TODAY USA. “Trump turning off Millennials.” USA

Today 15 Mar. 2016: Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. Governmental Resources (2): File, Thom. “Young-Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections, 1964-2012.”

United States Census Bureau. April 2014. Web. 3 Feb. 2016. "Indiana Election Division." Secretary of State : Election Division: Voter Registration

and Turnout Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2016. Reference Source: Rowley, Charles K., and Friedrich Schneider. “The Value of Voting Rights.” The

encyclopedia of public choice. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, 2004. 590-91. Print. 03 Feb. 2016

Institutional Resources (5): Boundless. “Voting Behavior.” Boundless Sociology. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015.

Retrieved 05 Feb. 2016 from

Catt, Helena. "It’s Now or Never." Hot House (n.d.): 245-50. July 2005. Web. 3 Feb. 2016. 3 Feb. 2016.

Desilver, Drew. “The Politics of American Generations: How Age Affects Attitudes and Voting Behavior.” Pew Research Center RSS. N.p., 09 July 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

“Indiana – HeadCount.” HeadCount. N.p., Web. 28. Mar. 2016.

“Student Voting Guide.” Student Life at Ball State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

Pitch email to reporter at Ball State Daily News Subject: Increasing college-aged voters in the 2016 election Dear Betsy: With the 2016 presidential election coming up, Millennials will play a large part in the voter turnout. I have read a few of your articles in the Daily News on the upcoming election and thought that you may be interested in some information I have about college-aged voters as a feature story. The Indiana Secretary of State, Connie Lawson, is working hard to reach college students in Indiana and increase the number of voters between the ages of 18 and 24. Millennials are the largest generations in American history with a total population of 95 million. Many studies have shown that the younger generation does not vote compared to older ages. Specifically, ages 18 to 24 are either not registered to vote, don’t feel educated enough to vote, or just do not care. I would like to offer this, and more information to you if you are interested. Connie Lawson is also available for an interview. I will call you in a day or two to see how I can be of further assistance. Thank you, Tara Davis Ball State PR Representative 317-518-6870 tldavis3@bsu.edu

MEDIA ALERT

George Hill will talk to Ball State about the importance of voting WHAT: Indiana Pacer’s basketball player, George Hill, will talk to Ball

State University’s students on the importance of voting at their age, hosted by the Indiana Secretary of State, Connie Lawson. One lucky student will have the opportunity to participate in a three-point contest with Hill and will win an autographed jersey.

WHO: Indiana Pacer’s basketball player, George Hill. WHEN: 6:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 WHERE: John. E. Worthen Arena CONTACT: For more information, contact Ball State PR Representative, Tara

Davis, at 317-518-6870 or tldavis3@bsu.edu.

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The Indiana secretary of state’s mission is to deliver a government-as-a-service to the people of Indiana that focuses on unqualified integrity and accuracy in the elections, consistent and principled regulatory methods, ceaseless protection of Hoosier investors, and the most efficient use of taxpayer resources.

NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Information: Tara Davis 317-518-6870 tldavis3@bsu.edu

George Hill visits Ball State to encourage students to vote in the presidential election

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Indiana Secretary of State, Connie Lawson hosted an event

Friday, Sept. 30 at Worthen Arena with Indiana Pacers basketball player George Hill.

Hill talked to Ball State students and Muncie citizens on the importance of voting.

Hill gave specific numbers when it came to the state of Indiana and the states

voter turnouts. He discussed how only 45 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds voted in 2012

according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

After he talked to the students and encouraged them to get out and vote,

sophomore Olivia Mishler, an interpersonal communication major, participated in a

three-point contest with the 6-foot-3-inch tall point guard. The student was chosen by a

golden ticket sitting underneath her chair.

“I really enjoyed listening to George Hill because he is from Indiana and is only a

few years older than us, so it makes it real. Of course, shooting some three’s was a plus

as well,” Mishler said.

Lawson attended the event and gave some final thoughts to the students and

encouraged them to make history by changing their voting habits.

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Profile

George Hill profile

George Hill is a 29-year-old professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. Hill has played in the National Basketball Association since 2008 and has been with the Pacers since 2011.

Hill was born and raised in Indianapolis and attended Broad Ripple High School, where he led the state of Indiana with 36.2 points per game, which is the sixth highest mark in state history. Hill received many scholarship offers to play basketball at larger schools, but decided to commit IUPUI to stay near to his unwell great-grandfather. Although his great-grandfather passed away before Hill’s college career began, Hill decided to stay at IUPUI to play basketball. Hill is an only child and was the first of his family to attend college. In 2008, Hill entered the NBA Draft and was chosen by the San Antonia Spurs. In 2011, Hill was traded and returned home to Indianapolis to play with the Indiana Pacers. Hill says that he enjoys meeting and talking to fans.

Millennials and voting Fact sheet

Millennials

• The generation of people born from 1980 to 2000 • Largest generation in American history with 95 million people

Voting

• American citizens at the age of 18-years-old have had the right to vote since 1971

• Many studies have shown that 18 to 29-year-olds have the lowest numbers when it comes to regular voters

• Every state allows you to vote by absentee ballot if you are unable to make it to the polls on Election Day

Resources: www.in.gov/sos Contact: Tara Davis 317-518-6870 tldavis3@bsu.edu The Indiana secretary of state’s mission is to deliver a government-as-a-service to the people of Indiana that focuses on unqualified integrity and accuracy in the elections, consistent and principled regulatory methods, ceaseless protection of Hoosier investors, and the most efficient use of taxpayer resources.

MEMO Date: Sept. 12, 2016 To: George Hill Subject: Possible interview questions and answers for George Hill This memo is to help Mr. Hill during his interview with the Indiana Public Radio station. Attached is a list of questions that the radio personality will ask. Also attached is a list of possible answers that Mr. Hill can use to answer the questions. Mr. Hill can study these to be prepared to answer the questions, as well as other questions the radio personality might ask. If there are any questions, please let me know by Friday, Sept. 16. Thank you very much. Tara Davis Ball State PR Representative 317-518-6870 tldavis3@bsu.edu

Radio interview questions for George Hill

1. Who are you here with today?

2. What are you here for?

3. Why do you think voting is important?

4. Why is it that college students have lower voting turnouts?

5. Why are you talking to Millennials specifically?

6. Why Muncie, Indiana? What makes it so special?

7. What would you say to Millennials who don’t think their vote matters?

8. Why is Indiana voting important to you?

9. What makes Millennials voting history different from older generations?

10. If you could give one piece of advice to Millennials about voting, what would it

be?

Radio interview answers for George Hill

1. I am here today with the Indiana Secretary of State, Connie Lawson.

2. I am here with Connie Lawson to encourage students at Ball State University to

get out and vote in the 2016 Presidential Election in November.

3. I think voting is important because it is our right as an American citizen. We were

given this right for a reason and we should take advantage of the opportunity that

we have to show our voice and we can do that by voting for who we would like to

vote for.

4. A lot of college students are unaware that they can vote by absentee ballot if they

are not in their hometown or state.

5. Millennials are the largest generation in America at the moment, with a

population of 95 million. Their votes can have a huge impact on the election.

6. Muncie is a diverse community, especially with Ball State University. The large

university with students, and citizens surrounding who are between the ages of 18

and 24 are our specific target group, so Muncie fits perfectly. Connie Lawson and

I wanted to speak to the students here and let them know how important their vote

is.

7. I would tell them that their vote definitely matters and that they have a voice that

needs to be heard.

8. The citizens of Indiana and voting are important to me because I was born here

and think that they should take advantage of their rights. The Indiana secretary of

state has been working hard to get the votes up in the state of Indiana and I want

to help her by speaking to young adults.

9. Some Millennials may not be aware that they are not registered to vote, so they

end up not being able to vote. Some college students may think that their vote

doesn’t really count. They see it that it is just one vote and it doesn’t matter if they

go or don’t go. One last thing is that students don’t think that they are educated

enough to make a decision on who to vote for in an election.

10. Learn about your rights and use your voice to be heard. Educate yourself on the

candidates and choose who you think is the best fit for our country and use your

voice because it does matter and it is important.

PSAs FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST Contact: Tara Davis Special to WBST-FM 317-518-6870 60 seconds tldavis3@bsu.edu STOP: After Sept. 30 GEORGE HILL SPEAKS TO BALL STATE STUDENTS ANNOUNCER: THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THE JOHN E.

WORTHEN ARENA TO SEE AND LISTEN TO

INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL PLAYER GEORGE

HILL.

HILL WILL TALK TO THE STUDENTS OF

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY ON THE IMPORTANCE

OF COLLEGE-AGED STUDENTS -- OR CITIZENS

BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 24 -- ON VOTING

IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

THIS AGE GROUP HAS THE LOWEST VOTER

TURNOUTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE EVENT IS AT 6:00 P-M FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 30TH.

ONE LUCKY STUDENT WILL HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A THREE-

POINT CONTEST WITH HILL AND WILL WIN AN

AUTOGRAPHED JERSEY.

THE SPECIAL EVENT IS BEING SPONSORED

BY THE INDIANA SECRETARY OF STATE --

CONNIE LAWSON -- AND ENCOURAGES

EVERYONE TO COME OUT TO LEARN MORE

ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR VOTE IN THE

UPCOMING ELECTION.

LAWSON IMPLORES COLLEGE-AGED

STUDENTS TO RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND

THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR VOTE AND KNOW

THAT THEIR VOTE COUNTS AND MATTERS.

JOIN INDIANA PACERS PLAYER GEORGE

HILL AND CONNIE LAWSON IN WORTHEN ARENA

AT 6:00 P-M FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH FOR THE

FUN, INFORMATIONAL EVENT. THE EVENT IS

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS

OPPORTUNITY. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL

TARA DAVIS AT 3-1-7--5-1-8--6-8--7-0. HILL WILL --

SO SHOULD YOU.

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PSAs FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST Contact: Tara Davis Special to WBST-FM 317-518-6870 30 seconds tldavis3@bsu.edu STOP: After Sept. 30 GEORGE HILL SPEAKS TO BALL STATE STUDENTS

ANNOUNCER: JOIN THE INDIANA SECRETARY OF STATE --

CONNIE LAWSON -- IN A SPECIAL EVENT AT BALL

STATE UNIVERSITY WITH INDIANA PACERS

PLAYER -- GEORGE HILL -- AS A SPECIAL GUEST.

HILL WILL TALK TO THE COLLEGE-AGED

STUDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING IN

THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

ONE LUKCY STUDENT WILL HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A THREE-

POINT CONTEST WITH HILL AND WILL WIN AN

AUTOGRAPHED JERSEY.

COME OUT AT 6:00 P-M FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 30TH AT WORTHEN ARENA TO

LISTEN TO GEORGE HILL AND POSSIBLY WIN AN

AUTOGRAPHED JERSEY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL TARA

DAVIS AT 3-1-7--5-1-8--6-8--7-0. HILL WILL -- SO

SHOULD YOU.

###

PSAs FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST Contact: Tara Davis Special to WBST-FM 317-518-6870 20 seconds tldavis3@bsu.edu STOP: After Sept. 30 GEORGE HILL SPEAKS TO BALL STATE STUDENTS

ANNOUNCER: COME OUT AT 6:00 P-M FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TH

AT WORTHEN ARENA TO HEAR INDIANA PACERS

PLAYER GEORGE HILL TALK TO BALL STATE STUDENTS

ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING IN THE 2016

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND POSSIBLY WIN AN

AUTOGRAPHED JERSEY.

THE INDIANA SECRETARY OF STATE -- CONNIE

LAWSON -- WILL SPONSOR THE EVENT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL TARA DAVIS AT

3-1-7--5-1-8--6-8--7-0. HILL WILL -- SO SHOULD YOU.

###

PSAs FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST Contact: Tara Davis Special to WBST-FM 317-518-6870 10 seconds tldavis3@bsu.edu STOP: After Sept. 30 GEORGE HILL SPEAKS TO BALL STATE STUDENTS

ANNOUNCER: DON’T FORGET TO COME HEAR GEORGE

HILL TALK TO BALL STATE STUDENTS ABOUT

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING ON FRIDAY,

SEPTEMBER 30TH.

YOU COULD WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED

JERSEY. HILL WILL -- SO SHOULD YOU.

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