The Best of Interactive Candidate Web Sites

Campaigns & Elections,  Sept, 2000  by Mary Clare Jalonick

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WHEN VOTERS ARRIVE at a candidate's Web site, they are looking for more than what they can read on a direct mail piece. They want depth and facts, and they want a site that will make them feel more like a part of the campaign -- even if they aren't supporters.

But in addition to more words, voters want to get a "feel" for your campaign. An interactive Web site is an excellent way to show them that you are current, inventive and interesting -- and to be a part of every step they make toward voting for you on election day.

"The great challenge of the Internet is to get people to participate," says Phil Noble, founder of the political Internet superstore PoliticsOnline. "Anything that draws people into the campaign and gets them to do something is a positive. Part of what a campaign wants to do is to create a Web site at which voters can participate in a way of their choosing -- politics on their terms, not the candidate's."

Interactivity -- any part of the site that is "used," not read -- is key in this process. A Web site that is simply a posting board for campaign information will not draw many visitors, and is unlikely to bring visitors back. The most successful campaign sites this year have a variety of options for interested voters, all of which serve an important campaign function.

A few ways to make the most of interactive features:

1. Let voters talk to you. People like to hear themselves talk, so let them. One of the easiest, most democratic ways to let people feel they are a part of your campaign is to give them a chance to tell you what they think about the issues. There are a variety of ways to do this, including online issue polls, comment boards, volunteer sign-ups and contact e-mail addresses.

Both Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and California Senate candidate Tom Campbell (R) have a "town hall" on their site that asks voters to submit questions that the candidate answers online. Both Gore and Campbell frequently update their town halls, and provide an archive of past questions and answers that serves as a second issues section on the site. This is an effective way to show voters that you are listening to their concerns, but should only be used if your campaign has the time and energy to keep it up -- an outdated town hall makes the candidate look unconcerned and disorganized.

Bill Nelson, a Democrat running for the open US. Senate seat in Florida, has a message board for surfers to post thoughts on the site. Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy has a "Tell Us Your Story" section that asks visitors to "take a moment to share your concerns. Let me know what you look for in public servants, who has inspired you and what would make Massachusetts better for you."

And candidates surely never forget that one of the most important ways supporters can feel involved is with their pocketbooks. Fundraising sections should be easy to use and friendly, giving donors a good feeling about being a part of your campaign.

2. Give supporters an easy way to spread your message. The Internet can distribute massive amounts of information in seconds. All a candidate needs is a handful of dedicated supporters to send information about you to people they know, and your message can flash before the eyes of hundreds. Most good campaign sites take advantage of this, with "send this page to a friend" functions and "e-postcards" that make forwarding easy.

Many candidates put all of these options in a "campaign kit" section that gives their most energetic supporters a virtual checklist of things they can do to help. New York Republican Senate candidate Rick Lazio has a full campaign tool kit section, with downloadable ad banners and buttons, desktop wallpaper, phone scripts, informational handouts and graphics for signmaking.

3. Keep 'em coming back. One of the crucial missions of a candidate site is to implement features that will make a visitor want to return. The best way to do this is to avoid letting your site go stale, updating whenever possible. Both major party presidential candidates do this well, updating their sites several times a day as they travel on the campaign trail. Gore updates most frequently, and includes a "webcast" of his speaking engagements.

4. Register their support. Most good campaign Web sites have an e-mail newsletter which is a great way to get your message out and -- most importantly -- put people in your database of supporters. It is the perfect way to encourage your base and ask for donations when you most need them. It also helps get out the vote on election day, and for notifying supporters of updates to the site.

One caution: do not send e-mail newsletters too frequently. Once a week, at the most, is plenty. You do not want to become irritating, because then your messages will be deleted. Remember, many of your supporters have slow Internet connections, and will not take kindly to loads of e-mail.

5. Illustrate your message. One of the most fun ways to use the Internet to your advantage is to create tools that prove your message.