About the Blog

Welcome to The Social Ballot, the Independent Voter Network’s social media blog. Here, we’ll be following the social media tools, campaigns, and tactics that are revolutionizing the ballot.

For most Americans, social media has become an integral part of their daily routine. Whether that means staying connected with Facebook, sharing the latest news on Twitter, watching a music video on YouTube, up-voting cat memes on Reddit, “hanging out” on Google+, or uploading a photo of your travels on Instagram or Tumblr. And as campaigns transition into the digital world, politicians and candidates follow closely behind, adapting to the growing trends in technology and social media. Traditional modes of campaigning have been trumped by unconventional and innovative approaches at outreach and voter education. Just look at the 2008 election. Barack Obama incited voters through Twitter campaigns and hashtags, converting his Facebook Likes into actual votes. And whether you support him or not, his use of social media ignited a wave of social media campaigning that can’t be ignored. That’s where we come in.

Facebook, Twitter, Mobile Apps, Pinterest, Tumblr, Reddit, Instagram – you name it! We’ll be covering all of it, and focusing on creative and innovative advancements in the social media world as it relates to politics. We’ll be following candidates, politicians, voters, and political organizations reporting on how they are adapting to the ever-changing landscape of the Internet.