High-tech campaigning:
Since the lifting of martial law in 1988, the electorate's independence of mind has grown ever stronger, and the old methods of arranged block votes, canvassing on the basis of personal relationships and vote buying have become less and less viable. Today, as people's reliance on the mass media increases, the media campaign is gaining ever greater importance.
In addition to the traditional medium of print, which still has its place, as technology advances candidates are making great use of some new electronic devices. For instance, this year saw the use of automatic computer voice-synthesis systems for telephone canvassing, while computerized fax systems send candidates' opinions to fax machines everywhere. Even personal pagers with Chinese language displays have become part of candidates' campaign armory.
So if one day at election time your pager sounds and you look down and see the message "Please support candidate X," don't be too surprised: the age of electronic electioneering is upon us.
[Picture Caption]
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34 years separate these two election handbills from Wang Yu-yun and Wang Shi-hsiung, the famous father-and-son duo of Kaohsiung City politics, but they differ little in format and design concept. Only the printing technology used has changed beyond all recognition. (posters courtesy of Chuang Wen-hua)
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For the last 40 years, campaign meetings have been the main stage on which candidates build their power base, while printed campaign materials have been seen merely as a supporting publicity instrument. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)
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Today's elections are accompanied by a plethora of campaign materials. A stream of souvenir badges, stamp albums, video tapes and the like sell well to an inquisitive public. (photo by Hsueh Chi-kuang)
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If posters and handbills don't do the trick, why not get support from a TV star? Having the just magistrate Pao Ching-tien on your side must surely be worth some extra votes. (photo by Li Chin-hua)
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When elections come around, candidates scramble for advertising space on "golden mile" buses and billboards. (photo by Diago Chiu)
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In the age of pluralism and democracy, all voices must be heard. In the campaign for November's county and city chief executive elections, the KMT used the slogan "Ability, patriotism, honesty and a better future" to counter the DPP's "Clean politics, efficient government and love for our homeland." Meanwhile the New Party blasted both as "bad apples."
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(courtesy of KMT, DPP and the Chinese New Party)
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Faced with an electorate of every social background and every walk of life, candidates rack their brains to devise all kinds of canvassing activities and publicity materials, in the hope of winning people's hearts and gaining their votes.
In the age of pluralism and democracy, all voices must be heard. In the campaign for November's county and city chief executive elections, the KMT used the slogan "Ability, patriotism, honesty and a better future" to counter the DPP's "Clean politics, efficient government and love for our homeland." Meanwhile the New Party blasted both as "bad apples.".
(courtesy of KMT, DPP and the Chinese New Party)