Campaign for Young Voters: Vote 4 Me! Pls?

Candidates employ new technology to reach youth
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 24, 2007 10:17 AM CST
Campaign for Young Voters: Vote 4 Me! Pls?
Obama supporters in Iowa. Obama, along with all the other candidates, are using all the technology they can get their hands on to try and get the edge in their campaigns.   (Getty Images (by Event))

New technology has given presidential hopefuls a host of new ways to transmit the "Vote For Me" message, McClatchy reports. Campaigners are using social networking sites, YouTube videos, instant messaging, and even text messaging in a bid to gain an edge with young voters. But their target audience seems more bemused by it all than fired up with campaign fever.

Younger voters say they use technology like instant messaging to chat with peers rather than connect with politicians, although YouTube is a favored source of information, including political updates and opinion. Campaign workers admit they're not sure how big an effect the deluge of electronic campaigning is going to have on voters. "We're in uncharted territory," said Obama's alternative media manager. (More Election 2008 stories.)

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