10 Things You Should Know About Election Tech Trends

Broadcast This: Campaign News is Devoured Online

The number: 48%
Americans who said the Internet was their primary source of their knowledge of the presidential candidates. Only 31% and 13% cited television and radio, respectively.
Nearly 67% of 18-29-year-olds cited the Internet as their primary source of news, compared with 29% of those 65 and older.
Source: Congressional Internet Advisory Caucus, conducted by Zogby International

The number: 37%
Eighteen-to-24-year-olds who get information from social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace.
By contrast, just 4% of Americans in their 30s and 1% of those 40 and older have gotten their information this way.
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

The number: 24% .
Americans who have seen something about the campaign in an online video.
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

The number: 16%
Americans who have sent or received an e-mail from a friend or family about presidential candidates or the campaign.

The number: 37%
Adults interviewed on their cell phones who report that the cell phone is their only phone.
However, cell phone interviews did not materially change the outcome of political polling.
Source: Pew Research Center

The number: 67%
Likely voters who worry that Internet voting could lead to fraud. They’re worried about electronic voting too, and with reason. E-voting vendor Election Systems and Software is facing a $15 million lawsuit for allegedly selling uncertified voting machines in five California counties. California Secretary of State Debra Bowen filed the action after a four-month investigation.
Source: Congressional Internet Advisory Caucus, conducted by Zogby International

Barack Obama jumped ahead of the crowded presidential pack by using text messaging as a way of generating a database of supporters. His campaign managers encourage users to text the campaign their contact information at the start of rallies, before Obama speaks.

Bypassing expensive hardware, pricey software with upfront licenses and IT consultants with harrowing hourly fees, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul decided to outsource the hard, dirty work by using SAAS (software as a service).

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have pledged to support pro-network neutrality laws, and Obama has promised he would appoint only pro-network neutrality officials to the Federal Communications Commission. John McCain opposes network neutrality. Mitt Romney has taken several stances.

Amber Lee Ettinger, a.k.a. Obama Girl, sang about her crush on the Democratic candidate, became a YouTube sensation and parlayed that into a Maxim shoot and a new Obama Girl video. Where have you gone, Amber Lee?