Wyoming Vote Tracker

Yup, it’s another one of those “time for all levels of the GOP to USE technology” posts. We have a critical election coming up, the primary just under a year away, the general just over a year away. The technology that was implemented (primarily e-mail and websites) in the Congressional race proved to be a success for the GOP. Technology was also implemented in organizing the Wyoming Young Republicans and in less than a year’s time, we had the members needed to hold a state convention, approve a constitution and bylaws, elect officers, and be eligible to charter into the YRNF. Now it’s time for us to get geared up and ready for the 2010 election cycle. Yes, we can successfully utilize technology in Wyoming.

I must say, I have been impressed with our Republicans in the great state of Wyoming. Our Senior Senator has a fan page that is regularly updated; our Junior Senator has a fan page, not regularly updated, but he is half of the hosts of the Senate Doctors Show, which does have a fan page regularly updated. Our Representative has a facebook profile, and she has friended nearly 500 people. Oh, yea, the Wyoming Young Republicans have a fan page too.

• The Wyoming Republican Party recently launched a Facebook Fan Page and is 160 or so shy of 500 fans after a week. Their page admin has been solid in keeping the page active with frequent posts of news that Republicans would want to be aware of
• The Natrona County GOP soon followed suit and launched a page and they’re headed for 100 fans. Their page admin has pursued interaction with news and playing GOP Trivia (which is catching on)
• The Wyoming Federation of Republican Women have launched a page and are seeking fans of the female persuasion (I have been told that men can be fans too; as proof, I have yet to be removed from the fan roster)
• The Park County GOP is now building a Facebook page. In the space of eight hours, just over a dozen Republicans all over Wyoming have become fans.

In the interest of openness (and a forthcoming anti-First Amendment FEDERAL rule about blogging), the Chairman of the Park County GOP (who is on Facebook and believes in it–and other online mediums’–potential to further the cause) came to me and asked me if I would be willing to take on building and adminning a Facebook page for the Party, which I have excitedly and willingly accepted because I want my party to succeed in utilizing technology, and I want to see my party succeed in this because I believe it can. My party leaders are capable of finding the people willing and able to do and/or teach them about the techy things in political activism. What’s even better is my party leaders are doing that.

I’m sure there was probably a time when candidates thought it crazy to pay for postage to send off letters in bulk to potential constituents. Today we don’t think twice about it. We expect it to happen, and it does. Probably the same could be said for newspaper ads, radio ads, and TV ads. Those are all fine and well, but now we have another set of tools in the tool box. Facebook (or other forms of social-networking media technology)  is not evil. It (the technology) actually can be an effective tool, whether it’s getting the Party’s message out to potential new members, or getting the word out to existing members and supporters. So get on board! The people that want to see and help you succeed are.

No Comments »