[1]Venezuelans will be voting on September 26th to renew the whole body of the National Assembly [2], the unicameral legislative body which substituted the Congress, and online, dozens of people are making and remixing videos urging citizens to vote.
Los Hermanos Electorales [3], or the Electoral Brothers have a series of four videos portraying different situations that evolve into songs about the importance of voting as a way to make decisions regarding violence, freedom of expression, the economy and the food shortages. Their latest video [4] takes the subject of insecurity, muggings and kidnappings that are affecting Venezuelans lately and mixes it with a catchy reggaeton rhythm and sexy dancing girls who send the message that to have a chance at improving the situation, you need to vote.
The Quetelleva2010 [5] (What gets you in Spanish) video is a darker take on the same subject of insecurity. A kidnapping victim is terrorized throughout the night as he's driven around the city in order to empty out his bank account, and as he's dropped off at the voting center the viewer is asked: if insecurity doesn't get you to vote, then what gets you?
Voto Joven [6]has a different campaign, insisting that regardless of your position, in favor or in opposition of the government, voting is necessary. So they give 26 reasons to vote on the 26th [7]:
This next video [8] asks Venezuelans to consider if they are voting or throwing their vote in the trash, a play on words in Spanish between votar which means to vote, and botar which means to throw away:
Other videos, like the one titled Reasons to Vote in Venezuela [9] support a particular group of candidates, like this next one in favor of The Democratic Alternative, which asks voters to keep Venezuela from following in Cuba's footsteps :
Not only are original videos showing up, but also remixes, like this one [10]adapted from a US voting registration campaign. While the audio is still the same, the subtitles reflect the Venezuelan reality: instead of prompting people to register to vote, it asks them to get informed before voting, and points them towards the Cartelera Electoral blog [11].
These campaigns aim to improve abstentionism within the young people, who are the main consumers of online media: according to this video [12], back in the 2000 parliamentary elections, 75% of the young voters didn't vote. Let's hope that number is much, much lower this year.
Thumbnail of Venezuelan Flag [1] by Alejandro Andres Alarcon [13] used according to CC Attribution license. [14]