Using the Web to Rock the Vote

In Canada, the voter turnaround for municipal elections is appalling – usually less than 40% if you're lucky. There's been a lot of focus on whether online voting can convince more people to exercise their democratic right but the technology doesn't seem be ready for prime time. That said, there are a few signs the Web is becoming more of a political tool. One example is YouTube where a growing number of politicians are putting campaign videos to talk about their policy positions. The Toronto Star has a story how Mayor David Miller has posted a slickly-produced 95-second video to explain how he wants create more opportunities more young people “who face barriers caused by poverty, race and discrimination”. (His rivals – Jane Pitfield and Stephen LeDrew also have videos on YouTube.) The key questions are whether these videos raise the profile of elections to affect turnout, and whether these clips resonate with young people, who are showing less faith in politicians and little interest in voting. I would argue technology is just one piece of the puzzle. As much as political YouTube videos are steps in the right direction, I'd be more encouraged to see politicians who are more honest, less interested in their re-elections prospects and more inspiring about making Toronto a better place to live. It would also be nice to see a candidate knock on my door once in a blue moon but I guess that's not likely to happen any time soon if YouTube is taking over that job.