Comments on: Candidates and Social Networks: Generation Gaps and “Unearned” Status http://www.epolitics.com/2007/07/31/candidates-and-social-networks-generation-gaps-and-unearned-status/ dissecting the craft of online politics and online advocacy Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:25:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: electiongeek http://www.epolitics.com/2007/07/31/candidates-and-social-networks-generation-gaps-and-unearned-status/#comment-111673 electiongeek Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:43:46 +0000 http://www.epolitics.com/2007/07/31/candidates-and-social-networks-generation-gaps-and-unearned-status/#comment-111673 I think one thing you have to look at is third parties. In 2004 over a million votes went to third party candidates who were disillusioned or uninterested in the two major parties. Ron Paul is undoubtedly tapping into the nearly 400,000 libertarian voters in 2004 and Barack Obama and other Democratic candidates might well be tapping into the nearly 500,000 Nader voters An important thing to know is 1) how many of those people giving money to Obama & Paul are registered with their party 2) how many of those people are eligible to vote for those candidates in primaries. My guess is Paul would lose out from this more than Obama. I live in NY, you can give money to whomever you like and sign up for their friends lists and Facebook & YouTube but you cannot vote for them in the primaries unless you are a member of their party. Each state is different but my guess might also be that if these are college students or new voters or fringe types they might not even be aware yet that they cannot vote in some primaries. So converting all that "online support" into voting might not only be difficult in just getting people to show up, it might also be difficult in that even if they show up they might not be able to vote in a primary in some states. (They might not even be registered at all) I think one thing you have to look at is third parties. In 2004 over a million votes went to third party candidates who were disillusioned or uninterested in the two major parties. Ron Paul is undoubtedly tapping into the nearly 400,000 libertarian voters in 2004 and Barack Obama and other Democratic candidates might well be tapping into the nearly 500,000 Nader voters

An important thing to know is 1) how many of those people giving money to Obama & Paul are registered with their party 2) how many of those people are eligible to vote for those candidates in primaries.

My guess is Paul would lose out from this more than Obama. I live in NY, you can give money to whomever you like and sign up for their friends lists and Facebook & YouTube but you cannot vote for them in the primaries unless you are a member of their party. Each state is different but my guess might also be that if these are college students or new voters or fringe types they might not even be aware yet that they cannot vote in some primaries.

So converting all that “online support” into voting might not only be difficult in just getting people to show up, it might also be difficult in that even if they show up they might not be able to vote in a primary in some states. (They might not even be registered at all)

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