Politics and Governance - More Than A Conversation

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Not too Young to Win
The “Not Too Young to Run” Bill has created the opportunity for more young people in politics,
however, are they ready for the responsibilities of governance or the intrigues of politics?
BY EMMANUEL TARFA
Following the recent signing into law of the “Not too
Young to Run” Bill, the 2019 General Elections
will probably record the largest number of young
candidates vying for office. The law reduces the age
qualification for President from 40 to 30; Governor
from 35 to 30; Senator from 35 to 30; House of
Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and
State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
However, one topic always creeps up in conversations
regarding young people running for office: do they
have the political base to succeed? For me, the
political base is a unique segment of the electorate
that a political candidate can leverage to win votes
in an election.
It is tough to win an election without a political base.
If a candidate is not chosen to ride on an existing
political platform with an existing base, then he
will have to build this base over time, and not a
few months to elections. Young people need to
understand the implications of how long it took, for
example, the current President to win an election – it
takes time and work.
There are several ways to build a political base. I will
recommend what I call: A “target segmentation
approach”, where the intending candidate
categorises potential voters according to special
interests and targets them respectively. Depending
on the office being sought, the intending candidate
should approach each segment and secure their
interest by meeting them at their point of interest.
Below I have illustrated a segmentation and
engagement plan for an aspiring young candidate
seeking legislative office in a state. This engagement
may be required over a four-year horizon.
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