Getting out the vote in the social media era: Are digital tools changing the extent, nature and impact of party contacting in elections?

This paper compares the spread and impact of new digital modes of voter mobilization with more traditional methods (phone, mail and in person canvassing) in recent national elections in the US and UK. We develop hypotheses regarding the relative effects of online contacting and test them using elect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Party politics 2016-03, Vol.22 (2), p.165-178
Main Authors: Aldrich, John H, Gibson, Rachel K, Cantijoch, Marta, Konitzer, Tobias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Canvassing
Citizen participation
Elections
International comparisons
Internet
Mass media effects
Mobilization
Political campaigns
Programming (Broadcast)
Social networks
United Kingdom
United States
Voter turnout
Voting
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Summary:This paper compares the spread and impact of new digital modes of voter mobilization with more traditional methods (phone, mail and in person canvassing) in recent national elections in the US and UK. We develop hypotheses regarding the relative effects of online contacting and test them using election study data. Our findings show that while online contact is generally less frequent than the offline form in both countries, this gap is particularly pronounced in the UK. US campaigns also reach a much wider audience than their UK counterparts. In terms of impact, while offline forms remain most effective in mobilizing turnout, online messages are important for campaign participation, particularly among younger citizens when they are mediated through social networks.
ISSN:1354-0688
1460-3683
DOI:10.1177/1354068815605304