St Vincent de Paul Society: Vote For Me, 5

Our seniors are the record holders in terms of abstention: Not by choice. 1/3 will be incapable of going to the polls, many of them being left alone, abandoned by society and therefore also by the greatest symbol of it, our democracy. ABSTENTION, A QUESTION OF AGE? In fact, while the abstention of young people front lines the news every election, in 2017 it was the 80+ age group (which represents more than 6 million French people) who abstained the most. An involuntary abstention in most cases, as 31.5% of them were not physically capable of going to the polls in both rounds (compared to 21.3% of 18–24-year-olds, according to INSEE). THE WAY TO BE HEARD IS BY PROXY. Yet there is a solution for them to vote: a Proxy. Police officers can come to the home or to a local institution of an isolated person to fill out a proxy application. This procedure was further simplified in 2022: from now on, it's no longer mandatory to be part of the same polling station to receive someone's proxy. It is possible to be from any municipality, providing the vote by proxy is placed at the polling station where they are registered. VOTE FOR ME, SENIORS ARE CAMPAIGNING! To raise awareness of the problem, the association decided to launch its own campaign for the elections. Posters resembling the style of French political campaigns have been posted around major French cities. However, on these posters, we find portraits of isolated seniors instead of the political candidates. On each poster, there’s the expected “Vote for me” slogan, but this time it carries a double meaning. By scanning the QR code at the bottom of the page, the process to follow to enable our parents, grandparents, neighbors, or isolated acquaintances to give a proxy without ever having to leave their place of residence, is explained in simple 3 steps. To create further buzz, Flyers have been circulated, along with the expected hats, pins, and other campaign accessories for supporters of this new movement to ensure a vote for isolated Seniors.