Since January 2007, more than 600 aspiring municipal and parliamentary candidates from all 12 governorates in Jordan have attended IRI’s schools; nearly half of participants have been women.  During the schools, participants work on campaign strategies, use of polling data, campaign management, message and platform development, communications strategies, public speaking and debating, voter identification and targeting and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) techniques.

Bushra Razzi, a candidate for Greater Amman Municipal Council found the GOTV techniques she learned particularly beneficial.  “After IRI’s candidate training school and the presentation on voter identification and targeting, I was encouraged to go out and visit the homes of my supporters.  In one afternoon, I went door-to-door and convinced over 100 people to register to vote.  I would have never expected to be able to do this in a few hours, but using IRI’s techniques I was able to accomplish this.”

The campaign schools are focused on encouraging candidates to incorporate issue-based campaigning techniques into Jordan’s largely tribal political framework.  They offer a mix of presentations and workshops where candidates get the chance to practice the theory they have learned.  

Aminah Mahasneh, a candidate for municipal council in Naseem in Jerash governorate, decided to run despite the challenges facing women candidates.  “IRI has encouraged, supported me and convinced me to run in the elections despite all the barriers I face as a woman in a patriarchal tribal society.  IRI encouraged me to go door-to-door and taught me how to identify myself as a candidate and how to deliver public speeches.”

IRI municipal and national public opinion polls conducted in Jordan are presented to the candidates to help them understand citizens’ priority issues and craft effective messages around those issues.  One of the most popular components of the school is a workshop on writing and delivering campaign speeches, where candidates practice giving their speeches and IRI trainers and the audience offer constructive criticism aimed at improving their presentations.  The schools also feature mock debates between candidates moderated by noted political talk show host Jameel Nimri.

The schools are currently focused on training candidates for mayor and municipal council in the run-up to municipal elections scheduled for July 31, 2007.  Starting in July, IRI will begin conducting candidate schools for candidates planning to run in parliamentary elections which are expected in late November. 

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