Getting Social with Elected Officials: How Governors and State Legislators are Harnessing the Power of Social Media as a Form of Political Communication by Abigail R. Quackenboss
Dublin Core
Title
Getting Social with Elected Officials: How Governors and State Legislators are Harnessing the Power of Social Media as a Form of Political Communication by Abigail R. Quackenboss
Subject
Politics and Government
Description
The advent of the Internet and development of social media tools has had a profound impact on politics, most notably stateside being the ability to get out the youth vote in the 2008 and 2012 Presidential elections. Social media allows for a two-way flow of information, which in politics is ideal when seeking feedback from constituents. Ideally, a politician’s social media strategy will: (1) cover a variety of policy areas; (2) respond to the social-media feedback from constituents; and (3) adapt to the changing trends in social media.
This paper, in a pseudo-case study analysis, examines the social media strategies of twelve politicians, governors and state legislators alike. The paper begins with an exploration of how social media has been used in politics, by both voters and politicians. In the analysis portion of the paper, messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability are used as metrics to gauge how effectively the twelve chosen politicians are utilizing social media as a form of political communication. Findings suggest politicians inconsistently use social media as a political communication tool along the metrics of messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability, allowing room for improvement when utilizing social media as means of communicating with voters, supporters, and constituents.
This paper, in a pseudo-case study analysis, examines the social media strategies of twelve politicians, governors and state legislators alike. The paper begins with an exploration of how social media has been used in politics, by both voters and politicians. In the analysis portion of the paper, messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability are used as metrics to gauge how effectively the twelve chosen politicians are utilizing social media as a form of political communication. Findings suggest politicians inconsistently use social media as a political communication tool along the metrics of messaging, responsiveness, and adaptability, allowing room for improvement when utilizing social media as means of communicating with voters, supporters, and constituents.
Creator
Quackenboss, Abigail R.
Source
Senior Showcase Oral presentation
Publisher
Ripon College
Date
April 23, 2015
Rights
The author reserves all rights.
Format
pdf
Identifier
Major: Politics and Government
Minor: Mathematics minor
Minor: Mathematics minor
Saint Cloud, Wisconsin
POL 501/502 Politics and Government Senior Seminar
Files
Collection
Citation
Quackenboss, Abigail R., “Getting Social with Elected Officials: How Governors and State Legislators are Harnessing the Power of Social Media as a Form of Political Communication by Abigail R. Quackenboss,” Senior Showcase Digital Collection, accessed April 19, 2024, https://rcseniorshowcase.omeka.net/items/show/1.