Candidates flock to the Internet

By SHAWN GIILCK Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin Septmber 8 2010
Municipal candidates are taking their message to the Web, utilizing social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to drum up votes.
Twitter wasn’t even around for the last election in 2006; Face-book was just making its first tentative steps from strictly a university social networking site to what it is today.
What the ultimate effect this will have on the Oct. 25 munici-pal election still remains unclear –especially when a sizable por-tion of the demographic who traditionally vote in muncipal elections, the 55-plus crowd, either haven’t taken to the Face-book phenomena or even have an email address.
Several candidates around the Georgian Triangle are tuning in digitally to increase their acces-sibility and ability to communi-cate with the electorate. Some, such as Steven Fishman, who’s running for mayor in Wasaga Beach, have embraced the con-cept wholeheartedly. Others, it seems obvious, are merely dab-bling with the medium, perhaps because they don’t truly grasp how to use it.
Fishman has created a Face-book page for his campaign, as well as signing up for a new Facebook forum for municipal candidates in Wasaga Beach. Sandra Cooper, who’s running for mayor in Collingwood, has posted remarks on her Facebook page but hasn’t devoted herself to a full-on Facebook campaign as yet. She didn’t respond to questions from the Enterprise-Bulletin through Facebook, sug-gesting she’s one of the dabblers.
Cooper did respond via email, though, and said she doesn’t use Face- book except for keeping in touch with distant relatives, despite the posts about her campaign.
“I recently attended a workshop about social media and tourism,” she said. “Of course it can be used in other ways as we know. Social media, in par- ticular Facebook can be a great tool during a campaign.”
Other Collingwood candidates, such as Rick Lloyd and Norman Sandberg, have created websites and are monitor- ing them. They responded to questions posed on the sites in a timely fashion.
Current Wasaga Beach Mayor Cal Pat- terson has also created a campaign website, but he didn’t respond to requests for comments through it. That would suggest he isn’t using the medium to its full advantage.
 “This municipal election is the first real test of how much of an impact social media will have on the outcome of many races across Ontario,” said Fishman via Facebook. “The key is to ensure your message gets out to as many voters as possible, and this new avenue will increase one’s exposure.”
In particular, Fishman said his approach is trying to target coveted younger voters who make extensive use of digital communication and social media but who are much less likely to vote, particularly in municipal elec- tions.
“We all know that voter turnout is quite low, and that the young voters don’t exercise their right and vote. How- ever I’ve found that more and more young people are following this munici- pal election because of social media, and in my case I’ve been receiving more feedback, both positive and negative from the younger voter,” he said. “So to me this is a good sign that they are becoming engaged in politics and the real test will come if we see a jump in voters going to the polls.
“I think younger people are just jumping on the bandwagon because their friends are doing it, and they want to stay in touch. Older people, and when I say older people I mean the age group of 35-plus are using social media more as a business networking tool. A friend of mine on Facebook has built a business out of the whole social media concept. He helps people set-up their social media networks, so they can con- nect and promote their business.”
Veteran campaigner Lloyd said he wasn’t willing venture out of his com- fort zone onto Facebook yet, but he showed an awareness that political campaigns are clearly being altered by new technology.
“In this ever-changing world today, cyberspace is ever increasing, and in fact demanding information. I believe that someday elections will be won or lost through the Internet,” he said via email. “In today’s world I find a lot of my time is spent campaigning(via the web site)and interacting(online)with the taxpayers of Collingwood.
“I feel the Internet is a huge part of our election campaign. The Internet is the most up-to-date information system available and people are more and more depending on it,” he said. “Years back, door-to-door campaigning was the ticket to success, but now social media and the Internet can touch thou- sands in seconds.”
Sandberg was less forthcoming. He said merely that he would know after the election how well his approach worked.
“With respect to the effect of social media on the election, I won’t have an answer until after Oct. 25,” he said.
Keth Hull, a candidate for a council seat in Collingwood, is also using non- traditional forms of media.
“As a candidate for council I am using traditional means to get my message out, like(newspaper)advertising while embracing new technology like Face- book.”
Even Simcoe- Grey Green Party candidate Stuart Starbuck weighed in on the issue. An avid Facebook user, he applauded the growing use of the medium.