Online Fundraising, Has It Revolutionized Politics?
I recently read an online article that predicted that the funds raised in the course of the 2008 political season will be upwards of $4 billion, which in my opinion is a staggering figure. Most of that money, it is predicted will be raised online, according to a number of political consultants and political web sites that are giving a play-by-play of the '08 campaigns.
During the 2004 campaigns, Howard Dean proved almost single handedly how important online fundraising can be to a candidate in today's political climate, and in fact, the Association of Fundraising Professionals DC Chapter, dedicated a whole meeting to the Bush and Kerry campaigns to discuss the good and bad of online fundraising. Last Friday's Wall Street Journal, reported that online fundraising is now even trickling down to local candidates, which may be the revolution of how all campaigns will be ran now and into the future. In the article, Local Politics, Web Money, Daniel Biss, 30, a candidate running for the Illinois state legislature, talked about how easy it was to set up a web site on ActBlue (a Democratic candidate site) and within a matter of hours being able to raise money for his campaign. According to Biss, about half of the funds his campaign has raised have come from online donations. Add to this equation, the unusual techniques that Biss' wife and friends have used to encourage more giving, and you also have what may be the revolution of the term grassroots politics.
If grassroots politics have been revolutionized by the Internet through online fundraising, then in my opinion, so have the opportunity for all of us to participate in the political process, as a donor. For as little as $10 to campaigns, on a few sites. Online campaigning and donations according to political consultants and fundraisers, have made it easier to transfer a political party's influence and message more broadly. On the opposite side of that spectrum, it also has allowed voters to hone in on candidates individually, which also is very influential. RightRoots.com, a site set up for supporters of Republican candidates to give to the candidate individually and not necessarily to the party as a whole.
Online giving also gives people like me to give small donations to the candidate of my choice more often. (Now some sites are asking donors to give recurring donations on a monthly basis, a technique traditionally used by nonprofits in their online giving campaigns).
As with most mediums in today's world, political campaigning online is becoming more and more of a must for getting messages to the masses, raising money and helping voters understand where the candidates stand on the issues. Traditional ways of campaigning seem to have become somewhat archaic.
If you thought that candidates appearing on MTV was revolutionary several years ago, then you will be really amazed at how candidates are using the Internet to reach out to voters and to raise significant amounts of money. I, quiet frankly, am intrigued with how technology is revolutionizing political campaigns. One thing for sure, online fundraising and the amount of money being raised definitely makes politics an interesting sport to watch.
During the 2004 campaigns, Howard Dean proved almost single handedly how important online fundraising can be to a candidate in today's political climate, and in fact, the Association of Fundraising Professionals DC Chapter, dedicated a whole meeting to the Bush and Kerry campaigns to discuss the good and bad of online fundraising. Last Friday's Wall Street Journal, reported that online fundraising is now even trickling down to local candidates, which may be the revolution of how all campaigns will be ran now and into the future. In the article, Local Politics, Web Money, Daniel Biss, 30, a candidate running for the Illinois state legislature, talked about how easy it was to set up a web site on ActBlue (a Democratic candidate site) and within a matter of hours being able to raise money for his campaign. According to Biss, about half of the funds his campaign has raised have come from online donations. Add to this equation, the unusual techniques that Biss' wife and friends have used to encourage more giving, and you also have what may be the revolution of the term grassroots politics.
If grassroots politics have been revolutionized by the Internet through online fundraising, then in my opinion, so have the opportunity for all of us to participate in the political process, as a donor. For as little as $10 to campaigns, on a few sites. Online campaigning and donations according to political consultants and fundraisers, have made it easier to transfer a political party's influence and message more broadly. On the opposite side of that spectrum, it also has allowed voters to hone in on candidates individually, which also is very influential. RightRoots.com, a site set up for supporters of Republican candidates to give to the candidate individually and not necessarily to the party as a whole.
Online giving also gives people like me to give small donations to the candidate of my choice more often. (Now some sites are asking donors to give recurring donations on a monthly basis, a technique traditionally used by nonprofits in their online giving campaigns).
As with most mediums in today's world, political campaigning online is becoming more and more of a must for getting messages to the masses, raising money and helping voters understand where the candidates stand on the issues. Traditional ways of campaigning seem to have become somewhat archaic.
If you thought that candidates appearing on MTV was revolutionary several years ago, then you will be really amazed at how candidates are using the Internet to reach out to voters and to raise significant amounts of money. I, quiet frankly, am intrigued with how technology is revolutionizing political campaigns. One thing for sure, online fundraising and the amount of money being raised definitely makes politics an interesting sport to watch.
Comments