A Strange Web Fellow

Local politics jump onto the bandwagon.

Log onto any Internet search engine, and type the words “Hawaii politics.” Then hit the return key. What you will find is homepage after homepage for local candidates, political parties and activists. The scenario is similar across the nation. In November 2000, a national exit poll by CNN found that more than 64 percent of voters regularly used the Internet. More than 90 percent of Internet users – on the other hand — were voters, according to Media Matrix.

Local political leaders have tapped into this virtual form of democracy. What they are finding is that the Internet allows them to: inform the public about their platforms; build relationships with supporters; and enable activists to communicate via e-mail and chat rooms.

In the end, though, the Internet is just another medium. It’s the political message that really matters.

“The Internet has potential to be the great equalizer where campaigns are decided on merit, rather than money, which has become incredibly corrosive to the body politic,” says Gubernatorial Candidate and Democratic Rep. Ed Case. “It also enhances participatory democracy, which has been lacking both nationally and locally.”

Hawaii could certainly use a boost. Voter apathy is high in the Islands, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the 2000 general elections, roughly 44 percent of eligible Hawaii residents voted – the lowest in the country. Voter participation across the state already began to decline as early as 1980, when about 63.5 percent of eligible voters showed up at the polls.

Cyberspace is a great place to raise funds, as some local candidates are learning. On-line donations are expected to reach more than $170 million by the year 2004, according to a national study by eContributor. By the year 2008, analysts predict more than 80 percent of political donations will be made over the Internet.

Take for example, Linda Lingle’s Web site at www.lindalingle2002.com . “Our Web site fully outlines what the campaign spending law is,” says the Hawaii Republican Party chairwoman and gubernatorial candidate. “We let them know what the monetary limit is and that they have to be citizens of America. The rules are very explicit.” National studies found that the average age of on-line contributors today is thirtysomething. That’s significantly lower than 70, which is the average age of people who donate through traditional, direct mail fund-raising.

Lingle is scheduled to launch her Web site at the same time her campaign headquarters opens in April. Until then, on-line visitors were only able to view her platform and basic biography. They also were able to sign up on line for internship positions in graphics, research and communications. In late February, an average of 59 volunteers per day were inquiring on line about those slots. “We have found that a lot of people in Hawaii want to work on campaigns, given the opportunity,” Lingle says. “Even though they are not paid, they’re carefully interviewed. We really want people who are serious.”

Democratic Rep. Ed Case’s Web site (www.edcase.com ) went on line last October, after he announced his intention to run for governor. The site is generous with family and childhood photos. Participation and feedback is encouraged, and visitors can even register to vote, by clicking on a link to another Web site. “The site is a figurative example of how we must change government by putting out the welcome mat,” he says. Case’s site, as of this writing in late February, received between 700 and 800 hits daily.

The Internet does wonders to politics. On the flip side, though, it also can stain one’s reputation forever. Take for example the 1998 scandal between President Bill Clinton and White House Intern Monica Lewinsky. The House of Representatives used the Internet to post the full, investigative report by Kenneth Starr, independent counsel. No doubt, it left political supporters feeling a bit blue.

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