Technological Development of Congressional Candidate Web Sites 2002-2008

Abstract

Campaign websites allow candidates to employ interactive and presentational technologies that have the potential to change the nature of candidate-voter interactions. We explore the conditions that lead congressional candidates to employ these technologies. We argue that technological choices reflect the same types of practical (e.g., funds) and political (e.g., incumbency status and competitiveness) considerations that determine campaign strategy more generally. We test and find support for these arguments with a unique data set from the 2008 congressional campaign. Far from being a panacea promoting voter-candidate interaction, candidate use of website technologies reflects practical and political realities.

Keywords: campaigns, website, Internet, congressional