Ahead of the municipal council elections taking place in October, the State Electoral Office is turning to social media influencers as one channel to raise awareness among young voters.

Arne Koitmäe, head of the State Electoral Office, told ERR that the office is working with three influencers in a campaign that will cost a total of €6,600.

"The goal is to reach a target group whose voter turnout is statistically lower, but whose daily use of social media is high. This approach allows us to communicate important election-related information to young people in an environment that is familiar and trusted by them," Koitmäe said.

One of the electoral office's social media partners is Markus Kristofer Sinivee, who interviews people on his TikTok channel Markus On The Street. The electoral office signed a contract with him last week.

In addition to the social media campaign, visual materials such as posters and stickers have been produced for distribution in schools and youth-focused institutions, Koitmäe said.

"Teachers can hand out stickers during civics classes, for example, to remind students of the importance of voting and to encourage them to use their voice," the electoral chief said. "When invited, electoral office spokespeople will also visit schools and take part in lectures and debates aimed at young people."

According to Koitmäe, debates organized by schools and youth organizations help newly eligible voters make informed decisions and better understand their role in the democratic process.

This will be the third time that young people aged 16 and up are eligible to vote in local elections.

To engage young voters, the electoral office has in previous years also used campaigns featuring peers who have emphasized how important it is for young people to go out and vote, Koitmäe added.

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