Campaigns embrace technology

Pearl Pagarigan, a first-year chemistry student, does not watch TV often these days. With an agenda full of academics, extracurricular activities and social events, she barely has time for her favorite television show, much less the numerous political campaigns that are promoted during commercial breaks.

“I’m a child of the Internet,” Pagarigan said. “Being able to access campaigns through the Internet is much more convenient.”

As the 2006 gubernatorial elections draw closer, candidates have been using technology, including cell-phone ringtones and blogs, to attract younger voters.

Last April, after being endorsed by his party, Democratic candidate and current State Treasurer Phil Angelides launched an online program that allows voters to become actively involved in his campaign from their homes.

Angelides’ official campaign Web site hosts a number of online video and audio clips that can be downloaded, as well as a blog where voters can view current campaign moves and other recent statements.

His campaign committee has made a move toward the public’s mobile phones as well, encouraging voters to text message “PHIL” to his election campaign committee to receive recent updates.

“It’s very difficult to get in touch with people nowadays because everyone’s doing such different things, so (the Angelides campaign shows) a lot of ingenuity by using technology to reach such a fractured market,” Bruin Democrats President Gabe Rose said.

Angelides’ opponent, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has also tapped into this burgeoning world of technology. His Web site provides video and audio feeds, dubbed “govcasts,” of select speeches, appearances and other advertisements.

Schwarzenegger has also launched a ringtone that can be downloaded from his site via iTunes.

“Advanced technology usage is invaluable and is involved in every aspect of the campaign, from voter participation to communication,” said Amanda Fulkerson, regional press secretary for the Schwarzenegger campaign.

Fulkerson said members of the communication staff in the Schwarzenegger campaign are mostly under the age of 32, so those developing methods to appeal to a younger population are of that generation themselves.

“It allows us to connect with voters rapidly and in a number of different ways,” Fulkerson said.

The Schwarzenegger campaign now also uses video blogs and text messaging, and often links to YouTube.

“It’s geared toward young people. All this forward thinking definitely affects college-age voters,” said Fulkerson.

With more convenient access and a broader range of Internet-based techniques, some students say they are tuned into politics more than ever before.

“(This technological approach) makes the candidate more personable. If you can text-message Phil Angelides, you feel more connected to him,” Pagarigan said.

As the gap between new and traditional campaign strategies widens, some students are shifting their preferences.

“We as college students are the most effective users of this new technology, so it’s easier to become politically engaged. I’m not necessarily watching those traditional 30-second television advertisements anymore,” Rose said.