Mobilization and the Internet

Now that the election is over and Barack Obama has won, I feel a bit of a void.  Right now, it is too early to get involved with what he will do as President, and thus makes for an awkward transition for political nuts like myself.  However, I have invested myself in a new campaign.  I have been manager for a campaign for RISD's best costume, which my sister and her friend are currently leading.  If you haven't already voted, go to risd.dailyjolt.com and vote for Christina and Alison on the right side of the page.

Right now, our campaign is winning with about 60% of the vote, and the way we are doing this is very relative to how Obama won six days ago; both campaigns have mobilized supporters using new, high-tech ways.  While all I have done to help Christina and Alison win is set up a facebook group and invite everyone in my social network to join, Obama's campaign was able to do this but on a huge, nationwide level.  Using traditional methods of door-to-door canvassing and phone banks along with setting up a social networking type site on barackobama.com and using text messages to reach the more tech-involved generation, Barack was able to generate a lot of votes by using the power of the web to reach people. Also, this excitement created online led to people wanting to get involved, a major component in his advantage of sheer manpower during GOTV weekend.  His website allowed supporters to make contacts with each other and find ways to volunteer that helped push him over the top both in the primaries and in the general election.  

Barack's model for a campaign will be used for years to come, but it is dependent on the expansion of the Internet and New Media.  If anyone wants to get popular support for something, all they have to do is set up a website, blog, or facebook page, and they will automatically generate some buzz via the web.  That's what I did with my facebook page for Christina and Alison, and just because we were able to mobilize supporters to go vote means we are winning in the polls right now, in a similar fashion to how Obama won last week. 

What will be interesting to see in the coming four years is how Barack will be able to keep supporters in the fold and if when he goes public for something he wants passed, will he use new media and the network he has built up, or go the traditional route?  If so, his presidency will have access to and be directly connected via the web to millions of supporters who contributed or volunteered during this historic election. 

And by the way, if you haven't already, go to RISD daily jolt and vote Christina and Alison!!