With the success of the voter awareness campaigns in Bangalore, PAC decided to launch a state-wide campaign to facilitate a participatory and better informed electoral process in the state.  During the first phase of elections to local bodies in Karnataka in May 2001, the Centre created a network of interested groups in various parts of the state, including Mysore, Tumkur, Davanagere, Hassan, Shimoga, Bhadravathi, Doddaballapur, Challakere and Chickmagalur, which would partner with PAC to conduct the It’s Time to Act campaign.

About the campaign:     

•  The campaign was modelled on the Public Affairs Centre's Kit on Urban Local Body Elections and was produced as a guide to help organisations in educating, sensitising and motivating people to vote.

•  The kit contained information on a variety of activities, ways to conduct voter’s education and motivation programmes, as well as different methods of organising the CRCP.

•  The programme was publicised by using various media.

• Public meetings with the contesting candidates were organised in almost all of the places mentioned above.

Follow up: On 15 July, 2001, PAC organised a follow-up meeting to the campaign. All the groups involved in the programme were invited to share their experiences, so that an assessment could be made on its success as well as to develop a future agenda. Mr. H.C. Nagendra, Joint Chief Electoral Officer in Karnataka, chaired this evaluation meeting and interacted with the participatory groups. Various suggestions to improve the system, based on the experiences of the campaign, were compiled and presented to the Election Commission for further action.