Monday, June 30, 2008

Study: New Media Engaging Young Voters

Contrary to previous reports this election cycle, a new study by public relations firm Waggener Edstrom Worldwide found that the proliferation of digital communications -- like social networking, blogs and Web sites -- not the presidential campaigns of Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., is the key to engaging young voters (those 18 to 25 years old) in politics.

The study demonstrated that young Internet voters are not caught up as much in Internet campaigning as was previously thought from news accounts (i.e., “Internet Obamamania”). Only 23 percent of those surveyed perceived a new enthusiasm generated by candidates campaigning online and the increase in political sources on the Internet while 57 percent said they are more engaged because of digital communications.

When asked which party is doing a better job advancing digital communications and campaigning online, 55 percent said Democrat and 13 percent said Republican. When asked which candidate is their presidential preference, 48.9 percent said Obama, 29.2 percent said McCain, 10.2 percent said someone else and 11.6 percent said they were undecided.

"Just as radio and then later television in the 20th century vaulted American elections into distinctly new political eras, so will the Internet in the 21st century as even now the young Internet voters are transforming the way millions of voters want to be heard in this 2008 election," veteran political pollster Lance Tarrance said.

Meanwhile, another report released by MeriTalk, a new government professional networking portal, showed that 73 percent of "Generation Y" (42 million voters) plan to vote in the 2008 elections. Additionally, 48 percent of Ys report a Democratic affiliation, but 71 percent believe a Democratic candidate is best suited for the next administration.