Campaiging in Cyberspace

It didn't take long for the 2008 election cycle to begin ramping up, following the vote this past November.  And this time you might notice an even more concerted effort on the part of candidates to utilize the Internet and their websites.  Already this year, numerous candidates have webcast video messages on their websites. 

Adding to the effective online fundraising seen in recent years, other interactive tools have been thought to further the name recognition and support for candidates at all levels. 

Berkman Center Executive Director, John Palfrey spoke with the Boston Metro regarding the phenomenon.  “The trick is to make the leap between appearing to be hip and actually convincing somebody to vote for you who otherwise wouldn’t vote for you,” Palfrey said, “and I think it’s that leap that has been very hard for candidates to take on the Internet.”  The full article is available on the Metro's website.