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How the Web is Changing Politics
In a study funded by the Pew Trusts, researchers have identified common characteristics found in campaign websites for Governor, US Senator, and US House. The top five?
- Substantive documentation on candidate positions and policies. Over 80%.
- Web mobilization features, like letter-to-the-editor engines, friend-to-friend e-cards, and downloadable bumper stickers, lawnsigns, etc. Around 20%.
- Online donations. 69% of Senate candidates, 61% of Governor candidates, and 49% of House candidates.
- Moving past brochure-ware to interactive features like volunteer sign-up, email list signups, online donations, message boards, etc. Over 80%.
- Links to other political websites that allow interested citizens to surf to related candidates, organizations, and issue advocates. Over 85%.
This item was originally posted at MandateMedia.com on June 22, 2003.
Kari Chisholm | June 22, 2003 | Comments (0) |
The Other Side of Orrin Hatch
Last week, Senator Orrin Hatch argued that people who download unauthorized copies of copyrighted materials should have their computers automatically destroyed as "the only way to teach somebody about copyrights."
The bummer is, Wired News just reported that Hatch's official Senate website made extensive use of an unlicensed, stolen copy of a copyrighted javascript menu widget. If Hatch had his way, his own website would have been "destroyed" by now. Instead, alerted by Wired News, Hatch's web vendor has finally ponied up for the $900 license. (There's a lesson: ask your vendors if they have the rights to the software they're selling you.)
Adding insult to injury: Until Friday, the good Senator's website also linked to a pornographic website. OK, OK, it's not entirely his fault: The website, MyUtahSearch.com, used to be a legit search engine - and only recently got snapped up by the decidedly un-Mormon website. The link is gone now, but Wired News has the story and Google's cache has the proof. (Another lesson: check your links. Regularly.)
Hatch's official Senate site is run by GSL Solutions, a company out of Tampa, Florida, that produces cookie-cutter GOP websites. I suspect Hatch would have been better served by Portland-based Republican web firm Politikos/PopArt -- whose principals ran his 2000 presidential campaign website.
There's a correction to this piece. Read it here.
This item was originally posted at MandateMedia.com on June 22, 2003.
Kari Chisholm | June 22, 2003 | Comments (0) |
The MoveOn.org Primary
Hang around me long enough and you'll hear me argue that the Internet hasn't yet had that defining moment that changes politics forever. That may change on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the 1.4 million members of MoveOn.org will be invited to vote in a presidential 'primary' that will determine if MoveOn endorses a presidential candidate. The MoveOn endorsement could be huge. In 2002, the website generated over $4 million for congressional candidates.
In the Washington Post, one political strategist pointed out, "If [Howard] Dean has their support and wins Iowa, what people don't realize is that MoveOn could get him $30 million in the next two days." (Read the Post article.)
And that's just it. The Internet can allow a candidate to rapidly take advantage of a surprise bump. John McCain raised $1 million online in the week after the New Hampsire primary. In 2004, expect to see another candidate make an even bigger leap. As GWU's Michael Cornfield points out, "Where the Internet is going to come in handy is not in Iowa or New Hampshire, where you have to be in people's living rooms to get their vote, but immediately thereafter." (Read the Christian Science Monitor article.)
Learn more and register to vote in the MoveOn.org Primary.
This item was originally posted at MandateMedia.com on June 22, 2003.
Kari Chisholm | June 22, 2003 | Comments (0) |
Blasts from the Past
If you've looked recently, you'll see that GordonSmith.com is completely blank. But, let's say you're an activist or a journalist or maybe just curious, and you want to know if the Senator is keeping the promises he made last year.
Good news: The Library of Congress is now making available archives of candidate websites (including 197 copies of Gordon Smith's 2002 campaign site.) Imagine the possibilities for opposition research, political reporting, and general truth-telling...
View the campaign website archive at the Library of Congress.
This item was originally posted at MandateMedia.com on June 22, 2003.
Kari Chisholm | June 22, 2003 | Comments (0) |
