In 2000, a mere 537 votes separated the presidential candidates. Like that historically close-knit race when the youth vote was so vigorously sought after, this year’s first-time voters are once again one of the most influential groups in this election.
This younger generation of voters may barely know a time without cell phones, digital photography, laptops, internet, e-mail, blogs, texting, mp3s, or online networking sites, but they are the driving force behind the media and nominees’ significant attention to online news feeds and building up of political resources via the Web.
No other campaign in history has ever experienced the extensive reach and political power of the internet as used in this current race.
While the Web does reach across generations (my mother is a surprisingly avid blogger and my grandparents e-mail and Google with the best of them), it is obviously the younger internet-savvy voters that seem to be targeted by the added focus on heightened online buzz. Organizations like Rock the Vote have now been joined by Do Something, 18 in ’08, Campus Compact, and Smackdown Your Vote hosting Web sites clearly geared towards younger voters with campus coalition backing, flashy MTV-style webpage layouts, and pop culture celeb support.
Interestingly McCain and Obama’s differing focuses in Web appeal seems to have divided them into generational candidates. One with a more professional, business, and down-to-earth approach, and the other with a fresh and in-touch appeal to the youth of America. Let’s use the candidate’s official Web sites as an example.
JohnMcCain.com displays a colorful layout with clearly organized drop-down menus of hot political topics. His site’s homepage currently displays a viral video request seeking thirty second responses from average “Joes” to the question “How are you Joe the Plumber?” Can the young voters of America be drawn in and best relate to a candidate through viral video? (Will.i.am’s response: Yes we [know they] can.)
Impressively McCain does have a toe in the water of online networking sites with a link to Facebook and his cleverly named online community of supporters, McCainSpace. Hosting fifty-nine groups, including youth-oriented Generation08 (created two months ago with 571 members), McCainSpace offers a place for voters to share videos and photos of rallies and discuss the campaign through online message boards. In addition JohnMcCain.com also includes a blog (with blog widget), news feeds, an online store, easy-to-use online contribution form and a free “Create Your Rally Sign” template that reads: I’m _____ the _____ (as in I’m Joe the Plumber) Don’t tax me for working so hard. Someone gets extra points for this clever online craft idea.
Despite the features listed above, BarackObama.com seems to have been built more specifically to connect with the tech-savvy youth. Obama’s Web site includes much of the features listed above such as the news feeds, online store and online contribution form. In addition you will find Barack TV, appeals to supporters to make road trips to battleground states, supporter events such as rock and hip hop concerts nationwide and links to all major online networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, and Twitter (most of which I know my grandparents generation may not even aware of). His site also incorporates text messaging in addition to an e-mail list as a means by which supporters can stay up-to-date on event notices and campaign news. I think text messaging for my mother is among the many phantom features of her neglected cell phone.
Last week the Barack/Biden campaign posted a free bumper sticker offer for supporters who completed a short online form. The bumper sticker freebie is a giveaway the McCain/Palin site has also offered their base. McCain supporters need only request their bumper sticker through a handwritten letter to the McCain campaign headquarters along with a SASE. For those of you who can’t remember the last time you visited a post office, SASE means a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Another generational divide? For this online bill payer, it would seem so.
True, your preference to communicate by text or hand-written letter may not necessarily reveal your presidential selection. What is certain come November 4, however, is the buzz of attention given both online and off toward this historical race for the U.S. presidency.