Barack Obama is bringing a new high-tech twist to the presidential race. The Democratic team has unveiled an iPhone app that lets voters stay connected to the campaign and locate contacts in key battleground states.
iPhone Features
Political preferences aside, there's no question the move is an innovative idea when it comes to reaching young voters. The Obama '08 application's key feature, "Call Your Friends," prioritizes all the phone's contacts by state -- so people in places such as Florida or Pennsylvania will rank up high, while those in Democratic strongholds such as California will end up low -- letting supporters see who they need to call. The app also logs the total number of campaign-related calls made and anonymously keeps a running tally. (Users can then compare their numbers to other users', without actually seeing any identifying information.)
Another feature utilizes the iPhone's GPS to find the nearest Obama campaign headquarters as well as a list of upcoming events in the area. The remaining options are more basic, including things such as the latest news related to the campaign, the latest video, and a breakdown of the candidates' stances on hot button issues.
Forward Focus
The Democrats have worked to embrace emerging technology all throughout the campaign. Obama's team made headlines with plans to announce the VP pick first to supporters via text. The party put texting to use a second time during its convention, when it asked viewers to text in their reasons for supporting the campaign. (Submissions were displayed on giant screens inside INVESCO field along with maps showing what regions of the country were sending the most messages.) The Dems have also set up an SMS-based information service for supporters.
Interpreting the Impact
Whether all the high-tech trials end up making a difference may end up being a matter of interpretation. A 2006 study conducted by the University of Michigan and Princeton University does suggest text-based campaigning can lead to an increase in young voter turnout. And both campaigns in this race have certainly invested substantial time focusing on the concept of change. So will a change in the methods behind the messages make an impact? Only time -- and ballots -- will tell.
