Table of Contents 6 2012 OVATION Awards Winning Entries

TFC identified key major English print publications and where applicable French in each market and
spoke to editors in order to arrange an editorial board visit with the CEO or DCEO. Editorial boards were
chosen as the lynchpin of the tour because these writers and editors would set the tone for future
coverage about the execution of the election. TFC also reached out to other media outlets (local
broadcast and community newspapers) in the five markets and scheduled meetings for the CEO or DCEO
around the editorial boards. Staff from TFC accompanied the CEO and DCEO on the road tour in order to
manage any issues that came up and to make sure the spokespeople were prepared to meet each
journalist. During the Ottawa meetings, a bilingual TFC senior consultant accompanied the DCEO to her
meetings with French language media. The road tour took place on August 23, 25, 29, 31 and September
1.
We Make Voting Easy Media Briefing
In order to emphasize the positive changes made by Elections Ontario to the electoral process, TFC
planned a media briefing event in Ontario’s major media outlet market (Toronto) one week prior to the
dropping of the writ. During the event, CEO Essensa introduced all the new ways and days a person
could vote, the new wemakevotingeasy.ca website and the Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
opportunities electors (and media) had for engagement with Elections Ontario. As well, CEO Essensa
explained the new Assistive Voting Technology, which allowed voters with disabilities to vote
independently. This technology was also demonstrated at the close of the briefing.
TFC thoroughly researched venues and selected the Appel Salon in the Toronto Reference Library as it
met the accessibility requirements. The briefing was also available by webcast (one English, one French)
in order to be available to all media outlets in the province, particularly communities that CEO Essensa
was not able to visit during the media tour, and to enable those media to pose questions live. The
webcast would also help to meet Election Ontario’s mandate that the organization inform all Ontarians
about the voting process. A French translator and an ASL interpreter were also present and visible on
the webcast screen. TFC distributed a media advisory inviting media to either attend or participate
through the webcast. A media release recap and photo was posted on the newswire a few hours after
the event.
Issues Management & Social Media Strategy
As with all elections, it was inevitable that something would go wrong. TFC took this into account and
added an issues management component to the communications plan. During the event and post‐event
periods, TFC provided issues management advice and counsel to Elections Ontario on topics that arose,
such as changes to poll locations and removing college campus polls due to striking college staff (see
below). Other issues that required TFC to respond included election finance questions, voters who were
unhappy when their polls were relocated in order to meet the new accessibility standards and third
parties demanding that Elections Ontario inform voters that they could decline their ballot at the poll in
protest. In all cases, TFC developed a media response strategy and worked with Elections Ontario to
ensure the reported coverage was balanced and explained the organization’s position.
TFC also recommended that Elections Ontario use social media channels like Facebook and Twitter in
order to engage with voters and respond to potential issues before covered by the media. The client
agreed and TFC conducted a social media audit, developed a social media strategy and helped build
Elections Ontario’s Twitter and Facebook pages. That program is not outlined as part of this media
relations entry but the client noted on a number of occasions that issues had indeed been raised and
settled through social media and never reached the media.