Chatalas Shrugged

Candidate Use of the Internet in the 2008 Elections

A Report by Jody Chatalas and Katie Hall

The recent elections represented the high point in Internet campaigning, as an online presence was a crucial element in most campaigns. The Obama campaign gets the most publicity, and deservedly so, for its innovative online efforts in fundraising, communicating and organizing. But throughout the entire country the Internet was an important ingredient of political campaigns, from congress to county judge, from the governor’s mansion to the local firehouse.

With this vast diffusion of campaign websites in mind, we’ve examined several local campaign sites to assess how they were used and to what degree of effectiveness. We’ve also spoken to some local politicos to gather further insight into the prevalence of digital tools in campaigns, and what the future may hold in that regard.

The Virtual Campaign