IRI Launches Candidate Training Initiative

April 23, 2004

IRI launched a three-phase Majilis (lower house of parliament) candidate and campaign manager training program in February, in advance of Majilis elections in September 2004. The two-day seminars, held in the cities of Almaty (business center) and Astana (government center), included participants from eight parties and one unregistered group. The first phase of the training focused on the fundamentals of creating a campaign strategy – SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analyses, demographic and voter targeting exercises, organizing a campaign headquarters and message formation. Phase II and III trainings will concentrate on individual party and candidate trainings as the official campaign season begins in the summer. The three-phase program is intended to prepare Majilis candidates to successfully run for office based on issues of importance to the electorate, practice voter outreach, and project the candidates’ party image and message to the public.

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