Yakup Törk, Darıca 2019
Full campaign management, 29 videos
Darıca local elections, 2019 · 9 January 2024 · 6 min 1 s
Muhtar election campaigns in Turkey: neighbourhood and village candidates
In a muhtar election, the candidate has to be known on every street in the neighbourhood. We prepare the portrait, short introduction video, printed material for the neighbourhood and social media content in plain language, to support face-to-face communication.
How is the muhtar election held?
Neighbourhood and village muhtars (neighbourhood heads) and councils of elders are elected on the same day as local elections. Under Law No. 2972, local elections are held every five years; the last one was on 31 March 2024. Under Article 31 of the same law, there is no candidacy procedure in elections for neighbourhood muhtar and council of elders. Since no official candidate list is announced, the main job of communication is to make the muhtar candidate’s name and face known in the neighbourhood in advance.
Communication at neighbourhood scale
A muhtar candidate’s communication rests on face-to-face conversations; digital and printed content supports them. The message is short and clear: who the candidate is, what they see as priorities for the neighbourhood and where to find them. Vertical videos that residents can share on their phones, door cards and leaflets share the same look, so the candidate is recognised the same way on the street and on screen.
What do we prepare?
- Portrait and short introduction video (vertical and horizontal)
- Door cards, leaflets and poster design
- Photo and video coverage of neighbourhood visits
- Setting up the social media account and a weekly posting plan
- Joint introduction cards with council of elders members
- Rule-compliant information content for polling day
Personal data and rules
If residents’ contact details are used, a set-up compliant with personal data protection law (KVKK) is put in place; no bulk messages are sent without consent. The campaign period and restrictions are set by Law No. 298 and the decisions of the Supreme Election Council; the content plan follows these rules.
Relevant experience
In the Darıca 2019 and Dilovası 2024 local elections we ran the entire campaigns of mayoral candidate Yakup Törk: campaign and strategy management, press relations, corporate identity, social media management and campaign films; we also filmed the visits, meetings with local businesses and project explainers. We bring this experience of neighbourhood-scale filming and same-day editing to the communication of muhtar candidates. For council candidates, see our municipal council candidate campaign page.
Muhtar election campaign: four steps
- Initial meetingThe neighbourhood, the candidate’s priorities and the communication channels are agreed.
- Portraits and videoPortraits and a short introduction video are shot on the same day.
- Printed materialDoor card, leaflet and poster designs are submitted for your approval.
- Neighbourhood phaseVisits are filmed; posts are published to the weekly plan.
Our election projects
Campaigns we have run that relate to this topic. Each card opens the project’s own page; the videos come from the campaign playlists on the JASSİR YouTube channel.
You will find more detail on this topic in our guide: 10 things to do before you run for office
Frequently asked questions about muhtar election campaigns
When is the muhtar election held?
It is held on the same day as local elections. Under Law No. 2972, local elections are held every five years; the last one was on 31 March 2024.
Is there an official list of muhtar candidates?
Under Article 31 of Law No. 2972, there is no candidacy procedure for neighbourhood muhtar and council of elders elections. That is why it matters that the candidate is known in the neighbourhood beforehand.
Do you take on just a leaflet and a short video?
Yes. A small package of portraits, a short video and printed material is possible; the scope is itemised in the quote.
Do you also prepare content for council of elders members?
Yes. Joint introduction cards and photos can be prepared for council of elders members working with the muhtar candidate.
Let’s plan how to make you known in your neighbourhood.
Tell us about your neighbourhood and priorities; we will come back with a proposal for filming and printed material.