Offline and Online Campaigns

The article by Frank E.Watkins clearly shows how synergy works. I always remember when Emi talks about synergy between online and offline campaigns. Watkin's article explains exactly how a candidate's campaign should work. Jesse Jackson's campaign was focused in winning and they did. They used technology in a effective way and they also worked hard in door to door campaign.

I believe that small campaigns should use all the technology they can afford. But they should also put close attention to offline strategies. In countries where few people have access to the Internet, offline strategies are the most effective for winning a campaign. Candidates visit each house (door to door) and in person they explain their positions on certain issues and their campaign plan. They receive feedback from the electorate and they are able to perceive certain realities and problems that from the Internet are difficult to see.
On the other hand, the online campaign that Jackson managed was very efficient. His volunteers and strategists were all involved in the online campaign. They applied the technology they had, to search for voters and consolidated a mailing lists. With the mailing lists they approached the voters not only to ask for their vote, but also to get them involved with community issues.

Another point that grabbed my attention from this article was the acronym GOTV. This is the first time I read about it. That is because in Ecuador the vote is obligatory. Candidates do not have to put any effort in GOTV operations, because either like it or not, we have to vote. Personally I think the vote should be optional because it makes people aware of the power the vote has. If it is obligatory citizens do not see the importance of it. They just go to the polls and that is it. No participation, no commitment, no nothing and that is how democracy becomes unstable. But that is another story.