Political Power of the Online Community

Digital Politics podcast this week features John Marelius, political reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune talking about the candidates in the 2010 California Governor and Senate races, the role the technology community might play in the campaign of technologically savvy candidates, and which initiatives might wind up on the ballot in November 2010.  John suggests that voters might get mixed up about Republican women candidates in California with Meg Whitman running for governor and Carly Fiorina running for the Senate.  Neither one has run for office in the past, both have a base in the Bay Area and both are wealthy and funding their own campaigns.

California primary is in June 2010 but it is never too early to get some insights about the competitors.

List to the interview.

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Influencing Public Opinion

Guest this week on the Digital Politics podcast was Paul Goodwin, partner, Goodwin Simon Strategic Research talking about rapid response and how candidates and advocates can influence public opinion.  We also talk about President Obama’s speech last night on health care reform and the rapid response from all interested parties.

Paul points out that there are many more ways for people to get information which might influence their opinions, which makes it increasingly hard to respond to myths and untruths.   He also suggests that social nets are a proxy for the old face-2-face techniques candidates used in the past.

Listen to this thoughtful discussion.

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Emergence of Ad Networks

Podcast on Thursday with Jeff Dittus, CEO and co-founder, CampaignGrid, got into the details about targeting voters using online ads.  CampaignGrid worked with a range of Republican races in 2008 and is working with a number of advocacy groups.  They have also developed expertise in helping non-profits take advantage of the Google Grants program to raise money and awareness, and are growing the number of sites in their network.  Jeff has some great price comparisons between online and traditional media for reaching voters.  They are also using NING to manage their site—eating their own dog food as Jeff puts it.

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Getting Some of That Obama Magic

My guest on the Digital Politics podcast this week is Rob Kubasko, political Internet strategist with Campaign Solutions.  Met Rob last week when I moderated the panel on web sites at the AAPC annual conference in DC.  It seemed that Republicans, Independents as well as Democrats are looking to get some of that Obama magic for their next campaigns. There is confusion however about what role the Internet really played and how that translates down to a state and local race.  Rob has some real Internet campaign experience having worked with Bob Dole in 1996 through McCain 08.  He gets the power of the social nets and warns about ignoring the few passionate supporters at a local level who can dramatically help multiple the impact of a candidate’s message.   Hear the entire discussion on SignOnRadio.

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President Obama’s Speech to Congress Inspires All Political Parties

On my podcast this week, I talked with Glenn Kessler, president of HCD Research, about his national study of self-described Democrats, Republicans and Independents surveyed pre and post President Obama’s speech to Congress this week.  I was surprised to see so many Independents influenced positively about the President. Based on similar research, Glenn was shocked at the number of Republicans who shifted in their sense of the effectiveness of the President to handle the economy, education and the environment.  Listen to the interview and check out the data at Media Curves.

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Mike Connell

Michael Connell, top Republican IT consultant, killed when Piper Supercub he was piloting crashed 3 miles short of an Akron Airport.

While we celebrate the success of the Internet by the Obama campaign, the news of Michael Connell’s untimely death was a shock.

Mike was a prominent GOP Internet consultant when he perished in a fiery plane crash yesterday.  http://www.ohio.com/news/36486224.html

A flood of memories came back to me from the earliest days of the E-Voter Institute when Mike stood out as someone who really understood how political campaigns were changing and how powerful the Internet could be.

I saw this news first on my facebook page in a post from a friend minutes after it happened.  Somehow that seems fitting.

Mike’s wife Heather and the family have asked that all donations be directed to the Mike Connell Scholarship Fund for the benefit of his four beautiful children.  http://www.eDonations.com/MikeConnell is where you can give online or find an address to send a check or notes.

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Targeting Women Voters

E-Voter Institute Report looks more specifically at the women who represented 70% of the group of responders to the 3rd Annual Survey of Voter Expectations.

Comparisons between genders on Internet activity, political activism, and interest in news sources is augmented by details about the women by age, membership in social networks, and party affiliation.  Surveys conducted with the support of HCD Research, with analysis from Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College.

Of those women 18-24, 92% use email, 85% expect candidates to have a web site, and 68% expect candidates to post their television ads on the official site.

Of those women 55-64, 96% use email, 86% expect candidates to have a web site, and 64% expect candidates to post their television ads on the official site.

Surprised at how similar the expectations are regardless of age?

Looking at party affiliation, of women self-identified as Democrats, 94% use email, 89% expect candidates to have a web site, and 73% forward links  and email to friends and family.  Of those women self-identified as Republicans, 94% use email, 87% expect candidates to have a web site, and 73% forward links to friends and family.

Tough to tell the difference.

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Rhetoric, Reality, and the Internet: What Do Voters Really Want?

Voting Day “Exit Video” courtesy of Kent Kriegshauser, Galesburg, Illinois.

Rhetoric, Reality, and the Internet: What Do Voters Really Want?

This E-Voter study is based on findings from the E-Voter Institute’s 3rd Annual Survey of Voter Expectations. Study surveyed over 4800 Survey respondents.

Report provides details about voters by gender, age, party affiliation, level of political activism, and technical competence.  Of particular note are the comparisons between what campaign tools consultants think are most effective and what voters say are the best ways to get their attention.  While television still has the most effect on how all voters make up their minds about candidates, the Internet is not far behind.  This study reveals that television and cable advertising, debates, and the official candidate web sites are the most effective methods for getting the attention of voters.

Voters are tech savvy with a broad acceptance of Internet tools.

This study highlights differences in behavior in those who call themselves political activists compared to those who just show up to vote.  Those highly politically active are more likely to take action online and have high expectations for how candidates should be using the Internet.  It is clear the Internet is changing face of activism.

Surveys conducted with the support of HCD Research, with analysis from Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College.

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