// 02.20.2009 at 2:41 pm //

How Obama snagged young voters

United States President Barack Obama has been cited as a politician who explored and successfully used multimedia tools to run his campaign. From the onset, he (or his campaign team) realised they had to use the youth’s ways of communication in order to reach out to them. And reach out he did.

During the campaign, Obama used Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and text messages to get out information to young voters. His pages on these social networks are still active to date.

Obama’s campaign was a big change from the traditional American presidential campaigns run from social hall podiums and school gymnasiums. It resonated with his slogan, “Change We Can Believe In.”

Catching them young

Young voters from across the United States, cutting across political divide and differences arising out of religion, economic class, race and gender, supported Obama’s presidential campaign overwhelmingly.  This is  credited to his revolutionary use of new media, particularly mobile phones and the internet, as also his own youthful energy as the presidential candidate.

While Obama maintained an official website during the campaign, it contained links to several other social networking sites to ensure his presence among the youth’s usual networks. He was visible everywhere on the Internet, including on MySpace and Digg,  and frequently uploaded videos on YouTube.

Obama's campaign team focused on young voter (CC by-nc-sa; Photograph by Adam Brody)

Openness and transparency

The major defining difference between the youth and older voters was that the former value openness and transparency. This Obama offered through the use of the Internet. The youth voters felt “connected” with his candidacy through his social networking accounts.

The youth felt as if they knew him, as he shared his thoughts, vision and some personal views through Internet for everyone to see. He demystified himself.

Anyone, at a click, could read about any topic about Obama, from his childhood to his perspective on life, and political ambitions.

Great success

The Obama campaign was a great success. Youth turnout is said to have exceeded the 2004 election level, which was itself a year with a big surge in voters ages 18 to 29.

An estimated 21.6 million-23.9 million young Americans voted in the elections, an increase of at least 2.2 million compared to 2004, according to CIRCLE, a non-partisan organisation that promotes research on the political engagement of Americans between ages 15 and 25.

A lot of young voters much preferred Obama (68 per cent) over John McCain (30 per cent).

This number is the highest share of the youth vote accomplished by any candidate since exit polls began reporting results by age in 1976, according to CIRCLE.

“From a nonpartisan perspective, it is heartening to see young people so motivated and engaged in a national election,” said CIRCLE director Peter Levine on their official website.

Obama captured more than 50 per cent of the vote of 18 to 29 year old in nearly every primary contest to date.

One could say that Obama’s campaign was accurate in focusing on the youth and moved them by showing them that they could be part of the change he advocated for.

Basic Use

However, a good look into Obama’s social networking pages reveals that the content is almost similar on many pages.

For instance, Obama’s page on Asianave.com and FaithBase.com contain the same content.

His page in Facebook.com is not really an interactive one, but looks more like a favourite page. Those logged into the page can only become his fans or supporters. They cannot communicate with him directly.

The comments on Obama’s twitter account do come across as personal thoughts but more like the words of his campaign team or public relations assistant!

Despite all these shortcomings, Obama’s message got through to the youth. Thanks to his use of new media.

One of his popular quotes to the youth was, “I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington, I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

They heard and responded by voting for him.

President of United States of America, Barack Obama. (CC by-nc-sa; Photograph by David Katz)

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// Tagged Case Studies, Add new tag, Barack Obama, Campaign, youth